Anniya
by Faeriegurl
Summary: Summary: A half Elfin, half human girl is roped into a quest to save Kyrria from an evil Count with a handsome prince and a daring thief. Completed And more then a thousand reviews! :)
1. Prologue: The Attack

  
  
  
  


Hey everyone! This is my first Ella Enchanted fic. Like lots of people, I am a gigantic fan of Gail Carson Levine( if I met her, I would get a Olive attack and probably start screaming), and this is like my favorite book .Please, don't yell at me if it really sucks. The Elves: Ms. Gail C. Levine didn't mention too much on what Elves looked like other then their height and their skin. So bear with me here, as I add a few more features to my characters that have Elfin Blood in them. This is the prolog of my story. My main character is only 4 in this one, but she'll be 15 in the first chapter. There will be some slight references to Ella and the other characters in the coming chapters. The Prologue takes place when Ella and Char were younger , around 4 or 5. The chapters after the Prologue will take place right around when Char and the knights of Frell started doing Ogre hunts( right after Ella ran away from Finishing school.) Enjoy! And remember, please r/r!

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Prologue: The attack

  
  
  
  
  
  


The brook bubbled it's greeting as a woman of 31 sat down. Her eyes were a wide brown, giving her the look of a deer, and her hair was a pure blonde. She wasn't that tall for a human, only 5'2 at her full height. She dipped her feet in the brook, and called out " Anniya! Anniya, darling, we have to get a move on it! We only have a day left until we get to the forest!" 

Behind the woman was a small camp with 10 other elves, One of them being the woman's husband and carefully concealing a tiny, petite half Elfin half human girl around the age of four.

" Here I am mother!" the little girl shouted gleefully in Elfin tongue, leaping out from behind her father. The girl had sharp, forest green eyes like most Elves do, and delicate, long pure blonde hair, with mossy blonde ringlets that may or not form into true curls. Her ears were slightly pointed at the top, and she had a beautiful, clear sparkling laughter of happiness that caused most of the men packing up to stop and watch her. The girl's father smiled, but said in a firm, strong voice " Anniya, you need to stay out of our way now." 

The tiny girl frowned. " But I want to play some more here." He smiled at her.

" Perhaps while your mother is gathering water, you can play hide and go seek with her." The girl's frown burst into a happy smile, and she ran back to her mother. The woman laughed, and agreed to the little girl's request. " Alright, Anniya. Go hide, and I shall count." " Ok!" Then a frown suddenly appeared on her face. " But what if you get lost while you are trying to find me?" 

The woman laughed. " I won't get lost."

" But you might." the girl protested. 

" I'll tell you what. You can wear my necklace, and if I get lost, I know I'll be able to find you, alright?" The little girl gaped at the necklace and nodded her head.

" Now don't lose it." the mother warned the girl. 

The girl nodded her head, and look at the necklace. It was a tiny, forest green Emerald , the same shade as the little girl's eyes.

" Count now!" The little girl told her mother. As the mother counted, the little girl ran to a gigantic tree about 50 yards from the camp. Her eyes glittered in excitement. The tree was hollow, and just big enough for her to slide in. She crouched inside and watched intently on the camp, wondering how long it would take for her mother to find her. Suddenly, Anniya smelled something burning. Silly Father, she thought. He forgot to put the camp fire out again. Then she heard something.

" ForNEs uiv SsLesAn ZsoOne vac Slsslosh LiMMon." a voice slurred, oozing sweetness like honey and at the same time, sounding like oil dripping. Anniya was tiny. She was only four, innocent and naive to the world. But even she knew that there was only on creature whose words sounded like honey, Whose words sounded as slick as oil, who attacked peoples of all kinds, eating them alive. Ogres.

  
  


A burst of terror shot through her, and she didn't bother to notice the fact that most people would be won over by now. She pushed herself as far as she could onto the oak wall, hugging her knees. "NiiKaSSh. KtacKuSs iv vaZee!" Through the opening in the oak tree, Anniya saw at least 30 ogres rush out into the camp. Some had torches. The Elves dropped what they were doing and raced toward the ponies, neighing with terror.

" SlEEles HaSSh PikElss." called out one of the Ogres. 

The elves stopped for a moment, turning to look at the Ogres. The ponies broke into a run, not waiting for the Elves. Suddenly, without the slightest warning, one of the Ogres leaped onto the tallest Elf. With a savage leap, it dug it's teeth into the elves neck, paralyzing the Elf. Soon all the other Ogres did the same, slowly beginning to kill them all. Cries of terror and pain shot through the air, haunting the peaceful woods. It seemed like hours before they were all killed. A gigantic pile of bones, cleaned of skin, lay scattered over the forest floor. Heaps of what used to be clothes were now torn rags. The peculiar thing was that the Ogres spent a long time searching for something. A day in fact. The leader screamed something in Ogrese, obviously enraged. After spending two days looking for something, the Ogres, whatever they had been searching for, gave up. They burned the remains of the camp, and set off, jolly chuckling about how they had bested the Elves this time, and how King Jerrold, the NkaSSeez iev KrassZ he was ( filthy pig) would not get them this time. And as they left, no one noticed the tiny sob heard from deep within an oak tree. A sob that came from a pair of glowing forest green eyes and blonde mossy hair. A sob that came from exactly what the Ogres had been looking for.

  
  
  
  


11 years later..............................

  
  
  
  


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	2. Chapter 1

Anniya

  
  


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Chapter one: the girl

  
  
  
  


That morning in Frell was a peaceful one. Morning dewdrops rested on delicate flower petals. The forest's silent beauty hung over the land. The only sound was the occasional cry of the mocking bird. The rest of the birds lay asleep, and even the insects hadn't awoken yet. It was so quiet that in fact, a Unicorn and her foal stopped by a stream to take a drink without being worried of a Ogre, or worse, a hunter. It's horn gleamed in the sunlight, a radiant rainbow shining from it. There was a rustle in the bushes. The Unicorn's ears pricked up. An arrow whistled through the air, narrowly missing the foal. The Unicorn and her foal broke into a run, fleeing the stream. 

" Dammit." Prince Robert swore. 

" Your majesty, I really don't mean to question you, but the King did say," Sir Rector began. " that the Prince should cut down on his excessive use of foul language because one brought up in the royal court should not be swearing like a heathen Ogre. I know, Rector, I know." Robert said wearily. The fifty year old knight looked surprised. 

" Why, yes. That's exactly what he said." 

" Aye Rector, just leave Robert be. I'd swear myself, he was only a whistle away from hittin that unicorn." Sir Frederick spoke up.

Robert grinned at Sir Frederick. 

" Alright, gentleman. Precious time is being wasted, and if we plan to eat tonight it would be the best idea to get a move on it."

The knights quickly split up and rode off in different directions, Robert heading off in the direction he had seen the unicorn. He was a tall, handsome young man, bordering 6'1. He had dirty blonde hair that could be called golden in the light, and like his father, had blue gray eyes. At 21, he was the crown Prince to the throne of Kellia, a country bordering Frell and Ayortha. Robert clucked his tongue, and Night, his black stallion, quietly sped up. Checking on the amount of arrows he had left, he grimaced. Two. He would have to make sure his shots counted. Unicorn horn was high marketed these days as medicine. After galloping through the woods for a quarter of an hour, he stopped. The Unicorn and the colt were resting peacefully, a serene light shining on them . For a moment, Robert felt a stab of guilt. Maybe he should just let the unicorn's get away. Deer meat was more tender, anyhow. But remembering on how meat was getting scarce in this part of the forest, Robert loaded the arrow, and aimed precisely at the Mother Unicorn. He was a prize shooter, the best in the nation. He would get the unicorn this time. Pulling the arrow back, he released it. Just then, a shape hit him, catching him off guard. The arrow went flying into the trees, and the Unicorn, sensing him there, ran off once again. Not worrying about the unicorn, he threw whatever had jumped onto him off him. A petite, dirty girl glared at him. Robert stared in disbelief. This was what had caused him to miss a prize unicorn? An unkept, filthy girl?

" Dammit! Did you see what you just did?" he spat. The girl's eyes narrowed, a blazing forest green.

" Ja Kes Sluede toi puetama de!" the girl snapped back in Elfin. Robert glanced at her. She didn't look all that Elfin. He switched to Elfin, since she obviously didn't speak English, and didn't understand it either.

" What I was trying to do was shoot a prize unicorn that's horn might save a hundred people!" he told her angrily. Her eyes widened in surprised as he spoke her tongue to her.

" What you were trying to do is kill a mother and her foal. Even the dimmest dwarf that plunders along here knows that the hunting of unicorns is illegal! Especially foals and colts! But you, of noble birth, most likely thought in your little noble brain, that all this must be fine, because your family makes the rules." He didn't miss the sarcasm in her voice. 

" And do you suppose that every hunter that comes along abides those rules, milady?" he shot back . 

" No......but that doesn't mean that it's perfectly alright to come along and kill a unicorn!" Robert had enough. " Well, milady, it has been nice meeting you, but I do have a unicorn to catch, and my apologies if you find something wrong with it." He got back on night and started riding again. No sooner then he did, he was knocked off his horse.

" Leave them be!" the girl said angrily. She held a broken arrow threateningly at him. " It was you who messed up the first shot as well!" Robert exclaimed, angry now. She nodded curtly. 

" Oh for- give me that." He reached for the arrow. She dodged, and tackled him. Robert, due to years of training, reacted quickly. He grabbed her arm, twisted it, and threw her off him lightly. The girl was used to this attack as well, for she grabbed his ankle and knocked him off the ground. He snatched a dagger out of his boot and held it to the girls neck. She froze. 

" The arrow, please." she handed it to him. Robert broke it into several more pieces, and grinded them into the ground. 

" Let me go!" she demanded forcefully.

" Not yet. You're coming back with me." he told her. 

" Just let me go!" she made a move to bite him, but he tightened his grip on her. 

" That is an excellent example on why I am not letting you go. For one reason, I'll probably have an arrow, or whatever weapon you generally use, in my back, or one of my mens. Who are you, anyway?" he asked her. 

" Someone that's going to kill you if you don't let me go." she spat.

" Nice to meet you. Prince Robert of Kellia." Robert told her with good humor. " Kellia? Isn't that where Ogres originated from?" the girl snapped back. 

" Get on the horse." the girl glanced at it. Night stood menacingly taller then her, at 14 hands tall. 

" I'll walk." she told him darkly. He shrugged. 

" Suit yourself." After walking for awhile, the girl began to tire.

" Are you sure?" Robert asked out of politeness, wishing she wasn't a Lady so that he might tell her off. The girl glared at him.

" Oh, I'm sure."she said bitterly, and kept on walking. By the time they reached the camp, the sun had set over the Frellian forest. Robert greeted them. 

" Look what I caught instead of a unicorn." he told them. The girl, not understanding what anyone was saying, suddenly looked frightened and scared, something in the short time Robert had met her had thought she was incapable of doing. 

" Does she talk? Dear Lord, I do hope she's not another one of those shifting wraiths again. Those things are such a terrible bother." Sir Rector asked. Robert just laughed. 

" I'm not really sure what she is. She doesn't speak English, she won't tell me her name. She speaks Elfin, and that sums up my knowledge of her. She attacked me when I had a clear shot of the unicorn again, and wouldn't let me follow it." The girl stared intently on all of the Knights and Robert, unsure of what to do. Then she spoke.

" If you do not let me go, every single one of you will regret that you ever laid eyes on me." there was no doubting the sincerity in her words, but also no doubting the fear. Robert translated for the Knights who did not know Elfin. 

" Your Majesty, I do not mean disrespect, but how is keeping a dirty girl going to help us?" Sir Percival demanded. 

" For one thing, she's threatened to kill me. For another thing, we don't have the time to figure out which animals are on her no hunting list." 

" And for a third thing, it's hardly chivalrous to leave this young Lady out in the woods on her own." Sir Rector spoke up. All of the Knights stared him in surprise.

" Rector, this girl may be young, but the last thing she is, is a lady." Sir Rector was the oldest of the Knights though, and stubbornly insisted " The reason that she is not acting like a lady right now, is perhaps because she is surrounded by men with chunks of dirt for brains that are deciding her fate in which she cannot have a decision in at all. If you are not her father and you are not her husband, then you have absolutely no say in this young Ladies fate. Now leave her alone and go about your duties!" Sir Rector exclaimed. 

Robert stared at him in surprise. Rector hardly ever got upset enough to yell at the other knights. They looked at Robert for orders. " Leave her be with Rector. On now. We need to patrol the area for Ogres." 

As the days went on, the girl became incredibly quiet. She didn't talk or listen to anyone but Sir Rector, who refused to tell anyone what little words she did say. He did confine in Robert though. 

" She's an orphan. Still refuses to tell me her name. Refuses to eat anything but soup, and she sleeps in a hammock." Robert laughed at this. 

" A hammock? Why does she want to sleep in a hammock? Only the Elves do that."

" Apparently your majesty, the girl claims to be part Elf. It would explain a lot, like why she only speaks Elfin tongue, and why her ears are slightly pointed." 

" Perhaps. Why does she talk only to you, anyway?" Rector laughed at this. 

"She's a little lady in her own right. She insists that the lot of you are all spoiled, rich boars with nothing else to do but wave a bow around for status, and if you cannot speak a, as she puts it, " a decent language", then there is no point in answering you." Robert rolled his eyes. 

" If she continues to be silent for much longer, we should just call her trouble for short. Try and talk some sense into her Rector." Rector just chuckled again. 

" She makes a lot more sense then the lot of you do sometimes. She doesn't understand why none of ye try to use honey slick words on the Ogres back when you sight them, instead of just putting wax in your ears. No your highness, I think it is you who should try and knock some sense into yourself sometime." With that, Rector left Robert's tent and went to go help with the fire.

I'd sooner understand my fiancé then I would her, Robert thought wearily, but grinned at the prospect of going home to see Princess Adria of Ayathora. Yes, he could understand the dark haired, violet eyed princess of Ayathora quiet well. She wasn't like the typical Ayathorians, who were quiet people. Oh, she was quiet enough in court, but once she was in Kellia, if anything, she was excitable and happy. Nothing at all like the stubborn girl he was dealing with now. All that he had to do was meet up with the Prince of Frell, who was also scouting for Ogres, scout of half a year, then go home, free of the responsibility that he had to deal with the girl. But what Robert and the girl didn't know was that only 3 days later, Ogres attacked.

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Whew! Done with Chapter one! Hope everyone likes it. Please review!


	3. Chapter 2

Anniya 

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The girl woke up early in the morning. She had always gone to bed late at night and woken up and Dawn. The little sleep she got didn't seem to affect her personality. Moodily, she dug through the ration bags and searched for some vegetables, or something that she could make a decent meal out of . Men. Think they'll survive on meat alone she thought to herself. Shaking her head, she boiled some water and dumped the remaining rations. This should be interesting she thought as the water angrily boiled, bubbling over the rusted pot. 

" What have you got boiling there?" a knight asked. 

" Something that smells just like you." the girl snapped back. The Knight looked surprised. " Why, ye can talk after all!" he exclaimed. 

The girl tossed back her hair, glaring at him. 

" What did you think I was, mute?" The Knight just stared at her. 

" Are ye feeling alright, milady? You go a month and some days without saying a word, and one morning you start jabbering away like a mocking bird." She glared at him and poured her soup out into a crude bowl and began drinking it. It's not that bad the girl thought. Then again, there's only so far you can lie to yourself. She spat it out. What had she put in there besides moldy potatoes? Poison? Not that she actually wanted to know. 

" Would ye like some of this centaur leg?" she glanced at it. 

" How old is that?" the Knight briefly looked at it. 

" A couple days , I reckon." 

" Why is there a big, fat maggot right there?" The Knight looked closely at it. 

" Oh. This is miladies problem." he smiled at her and flicked the white blob off, as if it would make all the difference. 

" Alright now. Safe for eaten." He offered it to her. She shook her head. 

" That's alright. I suppose I'll have to take this to your all high Prince." 

" Ye are a sarcastic little thing." The girl ignored him, and walked over to where the Prince was sharpening his sword. 

" I have nothing to eat." He glanced up at her impatiently, obviously annoyed. Then surprise took his face. 

" You talked." She rolled her eyes. 

" Yes, I do talk. I need food, not a voice at the current moment." The Prince looked around. " There's plenty of food around here. Take a glance around the camp." The girl sighed. 

" I do not eat my friends. I am a vegetarian. And you do not have any fruit or vegetables with you." 

" Hell, I don't know. Go dig in the woods or something. How should I know? I don't even know your name." he went back to sharpening his sword. 

" It's going to stay that way. But if you want me to stay alive, then I need to eat!" Without looking up again, he said 

" Take my stallion. Go do whatever you did to eat before we found you." The girl stamped her foot. 

"That horse is an ugly goat and a giant combined! I won't last more then a moment on him!" the prince shrugged. 

" Who knows? I'm offering you transportation. Take it or leave it." she didn't miss the satisfied smirk he had plastered on his face. 

" How do you know I just won't steal the stallion?" 

" One. You would of run away by now. Two. Night won't let himself be stolen. If anything, it'll be more the other way around." The girl rolled her eyes and stalked off without another word to the menacing stallion. Night happened to be one of the most valuable horses in Kellia for a few reasons. He was tall, he was powerful, he had centaur and unicorn blood in him, and he was a pure black monster, towering over every horse in the Kingdom. Not to mention he was the fastest in all of Kellia, Bast, Frell, and Ayathora. So the petite 5'2 girl was slightly intimidated by Night. Its ok. It is just an overgrown giant horse as large as the Prince's ego. Probably just as intelligent as him too. The girl told herself. She looked up at the menacing horse, and glared at it. " Listen, you overgrown pony. I am going to ride you and you are not going to throw me off, and if you do, you will pay." she threatened it. Timidly, she grabbed the reins and tried to hoist herself up. The horse whinnied, and threw her off with a simple shake of its head. The girl was thrown onto the dirt. The horse whinnied in delight. 

" Funny. Very Funny." she told it, and moved toward it again. The horse walked away from her. " I take it back! You're ego is larger then the Princes! Do you think you're just too good for non royals to ride you!" The horse ignored her, and continued eating. 

" You spoiled, arrogant, good for nothing donkey!" she said, exasperated. She heard laughter from one of the Knights. 

" Given up yet?" asked one of the Knights, Sir Percival she thought. She clenched her fist and tried to ignore them. They thought she was going to give up. Well, I don't care if that horse likes it or not, I need some bloody transportation and that is exactly what I'm getting. Softly, she clucked her tongue, and held her closed fist out like she had a treat, hoping the horse would succumb to the trick. It worked. The giant beast raised its great head, and plundered back in her direction. As soon as he got close enough, she attacked. Leaping on to his great back, she secured her feet in the stirrups and grabbed on to the reins. Satisfied, she smiled. The horse didn't seem to react. She clucked her tongue. In a flash of a second, the horse took off, flying faster then a speeding arrow. The great beast rose on its hind legs, bucked several times, then sped at top speed through the forest. The girl clutched on to the reins, hanging on for dear life. 

" Slow down you stupid beast! I clucked my tongue! You're not suppose to go this AHHHH!" she screamed as a tree missed her head by half an inch. She glanced back at it, and held on helplessly as the horse kept running. 

" Stupid creature! Stop!" She kicked it hard, yanking on its reins. But unfortunately since the girl was not all that tall, she also was not all that strong. The creature reacted only to her kicking, speeding up. Why hadn't she listened to the stupid Prince! The Stupid beast was running off with her, instead of the other way around. Pounding along the forest floor at top speed, the animal was beginning to get frightened. It was used to only the Prince riding him, who had trained him all his commands, and whinnied, keeping up his pace, unsure of what to do. The girl watched hopelessly as they came up to a cave. 

" Stop it, you bloody over grown donkey!" she yelled again. The horse ignored her. It wasn't going to stop most likely until she was down in that cave with all the bloody Goblins in Frell. Before she could lose her nerve, she threw herself off the great horse onto the hill. I jump off an insane horse only to drown. Oh dash it all, why do I choose a hill to throw myself on of all things? As she tumbled down it, the girl splashed into an angry river, something sharp hitting her thigh. She realized it was the River Lucarno, near the Palace of Frell. It was not the peaceful, running river she remembered. Or at least not this part. The girl was tossed from left to right, kicking frantically to the surface. The river angrily roared as if something was clogging it up. One thing the girl was, was a strong swimmer, thanks to years of swimming in the peaceful currents. She pulled herself up for a gulp of air, but was forced almost immediately back under. It sucked her down even further. Out of the corner of her eye, through all the currents and sharp rocks, she saw a flash of material. Someone pulled her up. She spat out the river water, but was sucked back down with whoever had pulled her up in the first place. She swam up again, gulping in air, and managing to see who had rescued her before she was taken back under before she could say anything. As she came back up again, she shouted at him 

" Your stupid horse almost killed me! And why are" she was pulled back under again, glaring at Robert. 

" What are you doing here?" she yelled at him. Somehow through out the current, he managed to yell back. 

" I'm rescuing you and trying to find my god damn horse!" They were both taken back under again. " I don't need rescuing!" she yelled back, over the roar of the river. 

" Do you actually believe that delicate little you is going to get back to the shore?" Her eyes blazed. 

" You pig! " she kicked him, and swam away, kicking with a new energy. Climbing her way to the surface, she managed to get onto the shore. Smiling with satisfaction, she glanced in the river. She didn't see him. Well, good riddance she thought to herself. As she started to walk away, suddenly a horrible thought gripped her. If Robert died, she had no way how to find her way back to the camp. Her old home was miles, miles away from the River Lucarno. Last time she had swam in the river Lucarno---- well, she didn't want to go there. And besides, Robert wasn't that bad. Once you got past his ego, his egotistical horse, his hunting, etc. She chewed on her nails, and looked in the water. Still no sign of him. He would come up in a second. He was a perfectly good swimmer if he had managed to pull both her and himself up to the surface. It wasn't as if he had hit his head on a rock. But she had kicked him. 

" Dash it all." she murmured, took a deep breath, and with a graceful dive, went smoothly into the water. As the currents tossed her around, she looked for Robert. She felt some cloth. Hoping against hope that she'd be able to get them both up, she kicked like mad. Oh Dash it all, please, just let me be able to pull both of us up she wished like mad. And suddenly, she wasn't kicking anymore. Something was pushing her up. Something was pushing up both her and Robert. Before she could think twice about it, she was shoved onto the sloped shore. The girl spat out water, then looked to see what had saved them. Sitting prettily on the shore, sat a mermaid with long, silky maroon hair, smiling at them. 

" He should wake up in about a moment or so." she bubbled sweetly, the blinked. With a whip of her tail, she disappeared, as if she had never been there. The girl stared in amazement. Then she remembered she had to deal with Robert. 

" Well, we haven't got a moment." she told the unconscious Robert, and kicked him swiftly. He jerked awake, coughing up river water. He glanced up at the girl, remembered that she had almost killed him, and glared at her. 

" What the hell was that back there?" he demanded. 

" You called me a delicate and little and doubted my swimming skills." 

" You were drowning before I got there! Admit it!" The girl just glared at him, deciding to ignore the truth. 

" Well, what can I say? The first bloody thing you ask me when you jump in is where your stupid horse is!" 

" You don't know where she is?" 

" Of course not! I jumped off him! What's wrong? I mean, you had to get here somehow, we'll just take your horse back! You've brought this upon yourself!" she told him angrily. He shook his head. 

" My horse, happens to be Sir James's. It ran off apparently while I was diving in after you!" They both glared at each other in silence for a moment. Then, without a warning, the girl burst into a loud, tinkling, musical laughter. The Prince stared at her. After nearly killing him, she was laughing? It wasn't really a laugh though. It almost sounded like a music of its own, completely filled with joy. It sounded like a bubbling stream, a rainbow, a lute, and every single goddamn pleasant thing he could think of. When she stopped, she looked at him and said matter of fact, 

" My name is Anniya. And you have a dead fish in your hair." 


	4. Chapter 3

  
  


Anniya 

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" Ouch!" 

Anniya whimpered as she stepped on a sharp rock. It burst the bottom of her foot, and a drop of blood burst from her skin. She switched to limping on her right foot. Having lost her shoes in the river, she and Robert were trying to find the Knights again, Anniya barefoot. Robert had offered her his boots, but they were much too big for her feet. Fairy feet, people would of called them. Anniya smiled, thinking on how once someone had came up to her and demanded a potful of KJ's. No, the last thing Anniya was, was a fairy. Conversation between her and Robert was still silence. Not that it really bothered Anniya. If he did talk, it would probably be all about court news, or himself, or some other equally boring topic. It wasn't until sunset when Anniya felt something. 

" Something's wrong." she said suddenly. Robert glanced up at her. 

" Of course something's wrong! We're lost in the bloody woods without food, water, or transportation!" 

" Besides the obvious." she sniffed the air. Smoke. The bad feeling exploded, and she knew what was wrong. Without waiting for Robert to protest, she shot off to the right, running as fast as she could. Oh please, not again. Don't let it happen again! She pleaded. Anniya finally stopped when she reached the camp. Robert, an arm's length behind her, stopped as well. 

" Why in the" he stopped abruptly. Burnt tents, supplies, clothes, and bones lay in wreckage around the clearing. Smoke still rising from the land, all the horses were gone, all the Knights were dead, and everything else was burnt. Ogres. Breathless, Anniya surveyed the place with fright. That was why Night had so abruptly ran off. He had known that something was coming. A shudder ran through her, and for the first moment both she and Robert were silent. 

" Do you think that Sir Rector died?" she asked quietly, dumb struck. Robert nodded numbly. 

" They're all dead. The piles of bones." Anniya just stared. It wasn't sadness that struck her. She had hardly known these men, who many had called her a greenie and just as many other disrespectful names. It was more terror-- of how she had been so close to almost having the fate of being eaten alive, again. A million questions swirled in her head. But above them all, there was one emotion that stayed in her: terror. The camp was still smoking. The Ogres could be anywhere near here. 

" Don't just stand there! We have to get out of here! They might come back!" Anniya shouted frantically, pulling his arm. Robert didn't say anything. 

" Robert! They'll come back! We have to get out of here!" He looked at the smoking ruins. Anniya made a noise of exasperation. The stupid horse had been easier to handle then he was! She didn't care to remember her reaction when the same thing had happened to her so long ago. "Come on!" she yanked on his arm. Robert, startled, finally seemed to realize what Anniya was saying." Where should we go?" she asked him. He thought for a moment. Just when Anniya thought he would never speak, he said, 

" Frell's castle is closest. We'll head there and contact my Father from there." Shaking his head, they walked away from the camp. 

For a few days, Robert didn't say anything. In a way, it sort of annoyed Anniya. It was like going back to living by herself again. But there was another question that gnawed at her. Why hadn't the Knights realized that the Ogres were coming? They were professionals----- they had done that for a living. It just didn't make sense. And why had the Ogres burnt the camp? They usually didn't do that, unless. Unless their looking for something, Anniya realized. With a shudder, she continued walking in silence with Robert. 

By the time they found a town, Robert had began talking again, in which a way Anniya was relieved. It was too weird to not hear his sarcastic, boorish opinions. They spotted the village after wandering around in the great forest for about a week. 

" Thank god. Real food at last!" Robert grumbled. Anniya, on the other hand, was well fed and happy. They had been living off the berries and other fruits and vegetables that Anniya had found. The town was a small one, but a town none the less. Curiously, Anniya walked up into it. Children were playing on the streets, a few coaches, but most were walking to their destination or riding horses. She turned to Robert. 

"We need money. Do you have any?" He reached in his pocket. 

" 3 sold gold KJ's. The rest was back at the camp." Anniya quickly calculated the sum of horses plus supplies. 

" We need at least one more gold KJ. Can't you just tell everyone you're the Prince of Kellia? Surely they'll let you pay them back." Robert snorted. 

" Look at me. Do I look like a Prince?" He had a point. Anniya had seen Pig boys that looked better then him at the current moment. 

" Ok, clothing too. We definetely need that extra KJ now." She scanned the crowds, trying to think of some way they could possibly earn the extra KJ. She didn't want to pocket any of these people's money. None of them looked all that rich. 

" Oh, come on! Does everyone mean to tell me that no one can out shoot Dvaid?"Anniya's ears perked. The man had just translated what he had said into Elfin, apparently. She remembered how close Robert had been to hitting the unicorn. He would of hit it both times except for­well, her. 

" Yes! We do have someone!" she shouted. Grabbing Robert by his collar, she shoved him up to the platform. The man, Dvaid, looked surprised that someone had dared challenged him. 

" Anniya, what in the..." Robert began as she handed him his bow. The other man who had been talking to the audience boomed a welcome. 

" Place your bets now, miladies and milords! Who will you choose---- the five time champion, Dvaid of Kienn, or-- him!" the man announced. He proceeded to translate into Ayorthrian and several other languages. Robert carefully loaded his bow, as did the same of the other man. 

" Who will make the bull's-eye? Who will win?" the man boomed. It turned out that the Dvaid man was good. Very good. Out of three shots, all of them had gone onto the bull's-eye. Robert, sweating, Anniya could tell, aimed carefully. He released the arrow. Anniya held her breath. It went onto the bulls eye. He loaded the next one, and released it. And to Anniya's amazement, it split the first arrow. She stared at him. The entire crowd stared at him. Who was he? Robert, sweating obviously now, loaded the last arrow, and shot it. It split the second arrow. The announcer recovered from his shock, and began announcing the winner in Kyrrian. Anniya paid no attention, and tried to push her way to Robert. Until she heard a groan. Turning her head slightly, she searched for the sound. 

" May Kunn." someone whispered in Elfin. Their accent was unmistakably Kellian. 

" Sir Rector?" she asked incredously. Rushing to the figure lying in the shadowy alley, he groaned, his eyes wide. Anniya's eyes traveled down to his legs. To her horror, one had been completely pulled off, with maggots embedded in it, just like the knight's centaur leg. 

" Is his....majesty.....safe...as well......?" he asked weakly. Anniya nodded numbly. 

" I'll get him! Stay right there, don't move!" she told him, leaping up to go get Robert. 

" No....wait....I don't know....if I'll still be here.......Listen to me......the Ogres......they knew...you were there......they were....looking for you......I think....something about a.....blonde elf girl......" the man said. 

" Sir Rector, you stay right there. I'm going to go get help." Anniya got up again. 

" No! Just tell....his majesty......that we died.......honorably.....and that......to tell the him.....honor Kellia......" She could tell she was losing him. 

" But why were the Ogres looking for me? Why?" Anniya demanded. His eyes closed, and his breath stopped. Anniya stopped talking. She took his sword, and a medal he had with him. She'd give them to Robert. Maybe he could find Sir Rector's family. Walking out, she decided that she wouldn't tell Robert. He didn't need to know that Sir Rector had been lying in an alley, on the verge of death. Walking out, she put on the bravest smile she could muster, and went to find Robert. 

" For the last time, where are we going?" Anniya asked Robert. 

He sighed. He was beginning to wish that she had just stayed silent. 

" A Tavern. Some of my old friends should be around there. They usually make their rounds around this time of year. You can wait outside if you want." Anniya said nothing, not trusting him. Wattil( sly) is the word, she thought to herself. The tavern, one of the only ones in town, was crowded, noisy, and small. Never the less, it seemed like the most popular place in town. 

" I still don't see why we have to see a couple of your friends. How are they going to help us?" " You'll see." Anniya made a noise of frustration, but kept quiet as she followed Robert to a table near the back. There were two men sitting there, looking about a couple of years older then Anniya herself. One looked like the Prince, with the same color of golden hair, only his eyes were green, reflecting Anniya's. The other man looked a few years older then Robert, and had black hair with light brown eyes. He gave her a curt smile as Anniya and Robert sat down. The three of them immediately began talking at a rapid pace in another language, Kellian, Anniya thought. They ordered drinks, and kept talking. To the few Kellian words knew from listening to the Knights, Anniya was able to pick out a couple of things. One being that these men were professional thieves, if Feiht's, was the right word. Another thing was that Robert was trying to arrange a deal with them. 

" Robert, do you realize that your selling us out to professional murderers? Either or that, or I'll wake up pregnant! Come on, they probably don't know how write out a contract." Anniya told Robert violently in Elfin. 

" My Lady, you shock me! Would I ever commit a crime?" She looked up in surprise as the golden haired man smiled at her, replying in Elfin sarcastically . Anniya blushed. He said something to Robert, and Robert laughed. 

" Anniya, this is West." gestured to the golden haired man. Robert continued, 

" He's my cousin on the non royal side of my family. He speaks Elfin fluently. This," he pointed to the dark haired man. 

" This is John. Speaks Elfin fluently too, so you can communicate freely. John, do you want to explain?" The dark haired man nodded, and pulled out a map. 

" This is where we are now, correct?" Anniya nodded. 

" Just a couple of miles away from here is the Fens, home of the Ogres. You need to get past this with reliable help if you want to get to Frell quickly, and Robert has told me that you do want to get there quickly." West cut in. 

" One thing. You need to learn Kyrrian too." John nodded. 

" We're going to cross the border with some­ rather stolen goods I guess you could say. We help you get to the palace, you do a bit of acting to get us across the border." Anniya shook her head. " I don't understand. What are you transporting that needs me to act?" John opened his mouth, but West cut in, smiling. 

" That is something I'll have to show you. What'd you say your name was?" 

" Anniya." 

" Just Anniya?" 

" That's what I said, did I not?" He laughed. 

" You're a sarcastic little thing." Really, Anniya thought dryly. She twirled the chain that held her precious Emerald necklace. It couldn't be that bad. Just a couple of days to get across the border. It wasn't like they were going to get caught. 

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La,la,la,la. Have I destroyed the plot yet? Hope not. Please review!!!! 


	5. Chapter 4

Anniya 4

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If Anniya had not gotten along well with Robert, she had definitely not gotten along well with West and John. It wasn't because of their personalities; no, if anything, it was their occupation. Thievery was so secretive, and everything had to go according to plan. But, to get across the Fens( home of the Ogres) they needed West and John. And even so, trouble did not really strike until the fifth day with them. 

" I don't see why I have dress up like this! It's ridiculous! I have gone from tagging along to being an accomplice!" Anniya exclaimed. 

Dying her mossy white blonde hair black had been the last straw. With her fair skin and green eyes, black hair only made her look like a mutant goblin. Not exactly the look she was going for. Not that she had wanted to dye her hair in the first place. John had suggested it. West studied her. " Black's not your color."

" Oh, that makes me feel loads better. What's so valuable that were transporting anyway?" she snapped back, glancing at the wagon.

" As much as I'd love to tell you, Anniya, I can't." She glanced at him.

" Why not? It's not as if I'm going to go steal your bloody jewels, or whatever else you've stolen." West sighed. 

" Because, Anniya, you would have a fainting spell." Anniya's patience was gone, if there had ever been any. " I am not going to have a bloody fainting spell! I helped you steal an at least hundred thousand gold KJ jewel yesterday, also in that same time watching you murderer someone! I am not going to have a bloody freaking fainting spell!" she exclaimed, satisfied that she could tell someone off, if not the Prince. West grinned. 

" Gods, no. I don't think you'd be capable of fainting if an Ogre attacked you." True, very true you are West, Anniya thought to herself silently. If only he knew.

" Besides, Anniya, you have to know something. I have seen grown men faint when I've told them what I'm transporting. I'm not saying that you will, but I don't want to risk it. We need you for our act." he continued. 

Anniya rolled her eyes. For " expenses", as John had put it so nicely, they occasionally had to rob a town. Anniya had pointed out to Robert, (very nicely she had thought), that he was a Prince, and wasn't he supposed to be stooping this kind of thing. He had just shrugged. So that left Anniya alone, with thieves to reason with. They approached the town. It wasn't the biggest one, Jenn it looked like. Almost at the Fens, Anniya worried to herself. John nudged her. She knew that this was her cue. They had only done this a few days before, but already Anniya felt guilty for leading these people on. Pushing the thought in her head away, she ran out screaming in Elfin. 

  
  


" Help! Help! Ogres! Ogres are coming!" People turned to stare at her. Anniya sucked in her cheeks and widened her eyes. 

" Run, and save yourself! There is no hope now! There are too many of them! Save your children while you can!" She rubbed a little dirt in her eyes, causing tears to come. Perfect. People were beginning to listen to her now. 

" Ogres! Ogres! We're all doomed to die! We will all die! We are all going to die!" Anniya continued screaming hysterically. The villagers that didn't know Elfin( Most did--Jenn was on the border of the Elve's Forest,) had it translated from the villagers who did know it. 

" Save yourselves! If only you knew what was coming! Oh, please, please heed my warnings! If you will not come with me, then I will leave on my own!" 

Frantic worrying rang up in the crowd. Within moments, the town was hysterical, begging Anniya to tell them what she had seen. Before she could say another word, John called out. 

" Ogres! I see them!" he shouted. The villagers looked beyond with horror. A twig snapped, and a honey covered voice was heard. 

" Do not be afraid." Anniya knew it was Robert, and it took all of her self control not to laugh. John's voice changing potions came in handy, she had to admit. The villagers were struck with horror. 

" Follow me!" John shouted, running toward the other end of the village. The villagers, beginning to realize that he might be able to save them, ran off with him. The square was deserted. 

" Anniya, you are an actress. A pure actress. You should join us." West swung down, his Cross bow in his hand. 

" Well, come on! We need to move!" she told him , and they ran toward the inn. 

" Doesn't look like------," West stopped. Apparently the inn keeper and a few men in here hadn't heard all the havoc outside. This had happened last time, and Anniya had dreaded that it might happen again. 

" Hello, my good man and Lady. Do you seek accommodations in my humble inn?" the innkeeper asked. West's muscles tensed, ready for a fight.

" Actually, those KJ's would suit us better. Hand them over, old man." West aimed his crossbow at the old innkeeper. The man's wrinkles deepened. 

" Please, sir, we have just had the Prince of Frell stop by; our KJ's, I have worked so hard for them, and if you would"

" The Prince, hmm? Hand them over, and tell us where the Prince went." Anniya grabbed his crossbow. 

" Leave him alone! He's just an old man, can't we go rob someone who's not defenseless, and" 

  
  


" ARGGHHH!" the old innkeeper held a chair over our heads. West slammed into Anniya, knocking her down onto the floor as the chair split in two. 

" Thieves! Trying to steal my money! First chance they get! Help me, thieves!" West raised an eyebrow. 

" You were saying? Watch out!" she ducked a vase. The man was throwing random objects at them now. The other men got up and pulled out ragged kitchen knives, and whatever crude weapons they had on them. 

" You trying to steal Master Krecher's money?"

" Thought you could rob our Master, didn't you." They surrounded Anniya and West. 

The old man was still mad. 

" What should we do with them, Master?" asked one of the harrier ones. 

" Kill them! Kill them! Kill them!" he screamed. Anniya stared at him, wondering if he was truly as insane as he appeared to be. Either that, or he had to have a good sum of money. West sighed. 

" How many of you? One, two, three, four, five, six! Now how on earth will I manage to protect the Lady and myself?" His face twisted. 

" Anniya, behind you!" he yelled. All of the men's heads snapped behind her, probably realizing their mistake as they made it. West pulled a knife out of what seemed nowhere, and threw at remarkable speed into the first man's chest. Before Anniya could blink twice, he had his crossbow and two more men were dead. The fourth one grabbed Anniya and held a knife to her throat. 

  
  


"You stop shooting, or I'm gonna" he stopped abruptly and began screaming as Anniya bit him hard. 

Kicking him in his solar plexus, he fell down. The other two men lunged for her again, as if she was weak and defenseless. Well, they have a lot to learn, Anniya thought, and grabbed his arm, pulling it back. She punched right, then slammed him hard on the floor. The second one had a knife. Something Anniya hadn't anticipated. Zing. An arrow went right through him as he fell to the ground. But he wasn't dead. Blood dribbled out of his mouth. " Dash it all!" she whispered as the man clung at her feet. 

" Help..........me........." he whispered. Enemy or not, Anniya would never forgive herself for this. West came over, and shot him one more time. His breath stopped. She whirled on West.

" Why did you do that? He was already dying!" West kicked the body to make sure that it was dead. 

" He was already dying. And he would of killed you. Believe me, he would of not showed the same mercy. These type never do." Anniya, staring at the corpse clinging to her ankles, could not bring herself to move. West grabbed her and shoved her away. She turned and vomited. He waited patiently. But even as her stomach heaved, she could still not get that taste of blood out of her mouth. Before West had been nicer it seemed---- oh, she didn't know. There was no nice way to kill someone. And it was true that the man would of killed her. But she and West had started it......Anniya's head began spinning. A voice finally cleared her thoughts. 

" Leave me be! You kill my servants, leave me be!" the old man' voice trembled. West helped her gently up. 

" Come on, Lady. Wait outside here for a moment, I'll be out in a second." For a moment, Anniya did something that she rarely ever did. Without a word, She walked outside, and turned her head away from the door. West must of thought that she had been heading back to the wagon, because he continued talking to the man. 

" Listen, I don't know how far she's gone yet, but you better die quietly. I don't need the girl hearing you gasp for air." 

" I do no such thing! Take my money, take my jewels! Spare my life!" the old man begged. West snorted. 

" Didn't the Lady give you that chance already? And how do you repay her? You try to kill her yourself. Very charming indeed. Any last words, requests?" The old man's voice trembled. 

" My wife.......she's upstairs, taking her nap, on the top floor. Please, do not harm her, if you may." West's voice hesitated.

" You have a wife? She dependent on you?" 

The man didn't answer and for a moment Anniya feared that West had killed him. But then, a very soft voice said,

" Krecher, what are you doing-- oh, Sir." the woman had seen West. Anniya didn't know what happened next, but she heard the coin box open. With that, he walked out, and saw her standing there.

"You've been out here the entire time? Damn, I thought you had gone back...." he said. 

" You didn't kill them, did you?" she asked.

"No. I didn't kill them." He held up a small bag. 

" Half of the money they had in their drawer. John's going to kill me."

They made their way back to the forest. 

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" Is that all the bloody money you got!!?" John demanded. 

" After all of our work, you bring home half of the dough!" Robert snapped as well. Anniya, disgusted, threw back a comment. "

Really, Robert! You're the Prince of Kellia! Why does money matter to you?" Within moments, everyone was angrily speaking at once. Anniya threw her hands up. 

" I am sick of arguing! Settle this among yourselves! All that I know is that I am tired of seeing you murderer innocent people!"

" The bloody men were trying to kill you! I saved you!" West snapped back. 

" Listen to West!" 

" Well, it still wasn't right to kill those men! It was completely unnecessary!" John tried again. " Look, Anniya, this is what we do for a living. We understand on how blood shed might affect you, and we understand how you might not like it, but we are not going to stop unless you can come up with an alternative way for us to make a living." she was silent. 

Robert smirked. Anniya glared violently at him. West said something in Kellian and they all laughed. Anniya hated when they did that. She was beginning to pick up their language the more she heard the words said. But it still made her feel left out, knowing that they could be discussing anything ranging from vegetables to Giants, and she wouldn't have a clue. Anniya got up angrily and walked away from the fire over to her hammock. Snapping her fingers and whispering some charms, a swarm of fire flies came over to light her area. She angrily sighed, and jumped in her hammock . Her hands stung from the black dye; she had been glad to return it to it's original color. Watching the stars, she swung back and forth. After awhile, she fell asleep.

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" Gahxzlyhahzz." Anniya's eyes darted open. She bolted upright from her hammock. Cautiously, she lowered herself down and scanned the area. Nothing was in sight. Bad dream, maybe, She told herself, and curled back up in her hammock. " Lzyxhohh." she didn't move, but her heart was pounding. Something was in their camp. Ogres? No, Ogres slurred their words. These weren't words, these were noises. Cautiously, she got out of her hammock and peered in the wagon, where the noise was coming from. Brushing through the packages of arrows, swords, and other useful supplies, she finally spotted something whimpering in the corner. Something that even in the dark night, had glowing ruby eyes. Something that had, even in the dark night, bright, forest green scales. Something like a Baby Dragon. 

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*Awwww, a little baby dragon. Dragon! Gah, West and John are definitely have some illegal stolen goods! La, la, la. Please review.


	6. Chapter 5

Anniya 5

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For a moment Anniya just stared at the tiny dragon. And stared. Out of all the things she had expected West and John to be transporting, ( arrows, swords, jewels, bodies, etc.) A baby dragon had to be the last on the list. Ok, Anniya, we are not going to panic, we are going to handle this calmly and maturely, Anniya told herself. The dragon puffed a bit of smoke. Anniya screamed bloody murder, and jumped back. The baby dragon whimpered, and cowered in the corner. She spied several more eggs, but before she could contemplate anything else, a chilling voice said, 

" Drop your sword." Anniya turned around and threw her hands up. 

" West, get that out of my face! What in the land of Frell are you transporting! There is a bloody Freaking Dragon in our wagon! You know, Dragons, such as in big, humongous monsters that have been known to eat people, not to mention are illegal in 13 different countries! This is insane! I have risked my life to help illegally transport creatures that will probably kill me in my sleep! Oh, you idiot!" Anniya shrieked. 

She hated the high, tinny note in her voice. It made her sound like a parakeet or something. But that didn't matter right now. John spoke up.

" Calm down, now. You're going to attract Ogres."

" So I will be eaten alive instead of Fried. Do you know what will happen if anyone catches us handling these things?" 

" Precisely. We'll be hanged, the dragons will be either be kept in one of the royal zoos, or be killed," Robert said. " Robert, your Father has a death penalty for transporting these things! Are you a Prince or not?"

" Well, you better get used to it."

" Why should I? The curiosity of how your going to die is the only thing that's delaying me from running back to the town." Anniya snapped.

" No. Because it looks like it likes you." Anniya pulled her hand back as she realized the tiny dragon was nuzzling it. But then her expression softened. She put her hand back as it's ruby eyes gleamed happily. For a moment she forgot that she was mad at West, Robert, and John, not to mention hated dragons. John muttered something in Kellian, and West said something back. Anniya hated it that they were doing it again. She ignored them, picked the hatchling up and stood up. 

" What are you going to do with them?" she asked, interested now. 

" Sell them, of course. Dragons are high on the black market." John told her.

Anniya's hand drew back to the baby dragon that she held now. 

" You can't sell this one. He thinks that I'm.....I don't know, his mother I think. You can't sell him." 

" Anniya, be reasonable. We cannot keep a dragon. Especially that one, it's King of the hatch, judging by his color. He can already smoke, as well. That one, will be worth more then all the other's sold combined." Robert told her. 

She shook her head stubbornly. 

" I'm keeping him. He likes me." John opened his mouth to protest, but West stopped him.

" Let her keep him. It's melted the Ice Queen so far, maybe after awhile with the dragon she'll actually be polite." He muttered something in Kellian and they all laughed. 

But for once, she wasn't even mad. Instead, Anniya just smiled and stroked the hatchling. It let out a final wisp of smoke before curling up in Anniya's lap to go to sleep. 

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Surprisingly, they made it through the Fens easily. They didn't run into a single Ogre, as Anniya was sure they would of. She suspected that it might of had something to do with Gleex, as she called the dragon, but little did Anniya know that Gleex was only part of why they hadn't seen a single Ogre. When they got toward one of the main roads, they ran into trouble. But not Ogres. 

" Who is that?" Anniya asked suddenly.

Robert glanced toward where she was pointing. It looked like a camp. A camp with Ogres? Yes, several Ogres were writhing on the ground. Robert looked at them, remembering how his camp had looked exactly like that before the accident. The attack. 

John studied the camp.

" A Frell monarch is with them. We'd best steer clear if we want to keep these dragon eggs unnoticed. Anniya, hide yourself and your dragon." But before she could make a move, a man called out something in Kyrrian. 

Robert, his voice strained, replied something. The man instantly smiled, and beckoned him to come over. 

" What did he say?" Anniya whispered to Robert.

" He asked me who I was, and I told him. Frell's been expecting me, so this is no surprise. Another man came up, this one a few years older then Anniya herself. He was tall, with curly hair and a few freckles. Anniya shoved Gleex in the wagon, throwing a sheet over him, and smiled hesitantly at the curly haired man. Robert smiled and shook hands with him, and they immediately began carrying on a conversation with him. Anniya whispered to West, 

" Who's he?" West smiled.

" That, my Anniya, is the Prince Charmont of Frell." she was surprised. 

" He can't be a Prince. He doesn't look like one." she argued. 

" Oh believe me. He is. One of the best of the lot." John told her. Robert gestured toward West and John and said something. 

They joined the conversation, all talking in Kyrrian, leaving Anniya completely lost. A wisp of smoke rose from the wagon. Anniya was ready to dart in and see if Gleex had set anything on fire. That was when the Prince of Frell noticed her. He smiled at her, and Anniya extended her hand. He kissed it, and said something in Kyrrian. Robert told him something, evidently that she couldn't speak Kyrrian. He still smiled at her, only this time said with a horrible accent, 

" Kummeck ims powd, mie Shevelle," saying, hello my lady in Elfin. Anniya's face instantly lit up, and she spoke back to him. 

" Kyian Blakk ift, che?" He smiled, but said something to Robert. Robert laughed.

" Char wants me to tell you that he only knows a few words. He says that just a few moments ago a girl around your age that spoke Elfin left." Anniya was disappointed, but she smiled back. He was nice. She brushed back one of her dirty blonde ringlets. 

Robert continued talking, and West and Robert went to mingle with the other knights.

" We're going to be here for awhile." West whispered to her. 

Anniya glanced around, wishing that the other girl that had been here would come back. How long had it been since she had a female companion? Too long. She loitered around the fire, for it was growing to be night fall. Why was it that the only people that spoke Elfin were thieves and Wannabe thieves Princes? After waiting for a long time, after listening to everyone jabber nonsense around her, dinner came around, A knight came up to her and said in a clumsy accent. 

" You do want a meat?" he asked her, getting the words mixed around. 

She shook her head, and replied in an equally confused Kyrrian words, she told him that she was a vegetarian, and that she did not want the meat. He looked at her strangely, but grinned and winked at her as he walked away. What was that about? She wondered. West came over and sat next to her. 

" Their a nice lot of them all. They're all heading back to the Frell Court. Why in the bloody devil's name is that one fellow keep staring at you?" West asked her. Anniya rolled her eyes. 

" I told him that I was a vegetarian, and I don't know what he's up to." 

" What'd you say?" Anniya repeated the words. West started laughing. 

" What? That's what they mean, don't they?" Anniya demanded. After laughing for several minutes, West finally told her what she had really said. 

" You said, I don't want meat, I want you." West began laughing again. Anniya blushed for a moment before her temper took over. 

" I did? Well, go do something about it, don't just sit there laughing! Oh, why can't everyone just learn to speak Elfin?" she said, exasperated.

She was going to speak Elfin for the rest of her life, and to heck if someone didn't understand her. West changed the subject.

" So are you excited about going to the Frell Court?" he asked her. Anniya stared at him. 

" I'm going to the Frell Court?" West looked surprised. 

" Didn't Robert tell you? He has to spend sometime in the Frellian Court with the Prince Char, and he's bringing you along." 

" What if I don't want to go to the Frell Court? Since when does he take charge of my life? And what about Gleex? And what about you and John?" West shrugged. 

" The Prince thinks were knights, and that you are the daughter of the Baron Rolland, traveling with us." 

" Yes, but aren't you going to come with us to the Court?" West laughed. 

" Anniya, lets think realistically. John and I are just bloody lucky that none of the Knights or the Prince has recognized us. Some of them are suspicious, but they're not going to insult the Prince of Kellia's knights. John and I are bandits. We are wanted for thievery and for murder. John has a price on his head somewhere in the thousands, and mine is even higher. If we went to the Court, someone would find us out. We would be either publicly hanged or who knows what." Anniya frowned. 

" What am I going to do if you go, though?" West laughed. 

" What you always do. Don't get sentimental on me, Anniya. You were on the verge of picking up a sword and killing me last night, so lets leave like that." 

" I'm not getting sentimental. I'm just going to miss you." Anniya could of kicked herself. Did she actually say that? West grinned.

" I'll take good care of---- what do you call that Lizard?" 

" Gleex. And what do you mean that your keeping him? He's mine! You gave him to me, remember?" she told him. 

" I know, but lets go back to being realistic, Anniya. Frell does not allow dragons. The only one they have in captivity is being kept in an iron cage, locked safely in Frell's zoo. Do you want that to happen to Glaxe?" 

" It's Gleex, and I am not going a bloody step without my dragon, and neither is he." 

" Well, make yourself. We're leaving tonight. John's drugged the first watcher's wine." " Can't I come with you?" Anniya asked. Then she realized that she was whining. Could she not say anything anymore without sounding like a fool? 

West shook his head. " No. Anniya, I don't have one single idea how you've been surviving all these years, but we've discussed it, we've decided that it would be best for you to go to the Frell Court." Anniya threw her hands up. 

" Oh great. Just plan my life out for me, why don't we. Just let's not tell Anniya any of it. Let's just be our typical boorish conceited male selves that we are, and decide her life. Does conceit and boorishness run in your family, because you and your cousin the so called Prince both seem to have a lot of it. What's next on the list? Sending me off to Finishing school?"

" Actually no, this is." And West kissed her. The kiss swept through her, before Anniya had a chance to launch into a mad fury. It ended, and West grinned at her. Getting up, he walked away. Anniya sat there in sort of a shock, until her temper kicked in. She leaped up and ran after him. 

" You pig! You conceited, boorish pig! How dare you! You've only known me for what, a month or two?" she shouted angrily. 

" I know! A rude rascal as well, I suppose." 

" I'm glad your going! I hope that your hanged!" 

" Maybe if we're lucky I'll get eaten alive as well."

" You're awful! Horrible!"

" Yes, Yes. As well as a murderer who has no heart and you'll hate me for the rest of your days." "You......!!" she shouted after him, too angry for words. 

It was very frustrating yelling at him when he was insulting himself. He smiled at her, and walked back to Char, Robert, John and the other knights. Anniya stormed back to the wagon, and picked up Gleex. Gleex smoked happily, and nuzzled Anniya. Fuming, she curled up on the Unicorn pelt and fell asleep with the little dragon in her lap. 

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Another chapter done! Next Chapter, we're going to meet possibly a couple more characters from Ella Enchanted. 


	7. Chapter 6

  
  


Anniya 6

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" Wake up! Miss, will you please wake up!" a knight shook Anniya abruptly. 

She blinked, hardly having time to be surprised before he bombarded her with questions. 

" Do you know where the two men you and his majesty were traveling with have gone?" Looked like John and West had already made their leave. 

For a moment she considered telling every bloody detail West had given her. It would certainly serve him right. Perhaps she could have some insight on how he could be killed. That was, of course, if Anniya just didn't decide to kill him on the spot. But then, John would be caught in that trap. Anniya feigned innocence. 

" They left? Without saying good bye? Just what are you talking about, Sir?" 

" Follow me." Anniya followed the man out of her tent. 

She detested tents, and as far as she was concerned, she had spent her last night in one. She opened her mouth to ask about Robert when she saw the wagon. It lay in charred ruins, smoke still rising from it. Gleex. She could of killed the little lizard at that moment, and at the same time she wanted to hug him to pieces. Apparently, he had not gone without a fight. Anniya smirked, but dropped her smile when the Knight looked at her. 

" The Prince wanted to see you." the knight told her, and she tore her gaze from the wagon and went over to Char , who were studying something.

" Kummeck ims powd." Char greeted her. He was surrounded with several other knights, and looked stressed. One of the Knights translated to Anniya as Char spoke to her. 

" As you can see from the wagon, apparently your friends, the blonde haired fellow and his friend set off in the night. We're not exactly sure what happened, but our guard fell asleep, and as your friends were making a getaway with quite a few of our supplies, there was also someone who didn't want to go. And you can see where his temper got in the way. They grabbed what we think is a crate of dragon eggs, and made off on their horses. Not going to get far, their heading straight into the Fens. We've sent men to recover them, but we don't expect them to get far going defenseless into the Fens, it being the home of the Ogres." 

" And the dragon......" Anniya prodded. Char looked at her quizzically.

" Yes, there was a baby dragon, in fact. Sir Martin found him." 

" You didn't kill it, did you?" Anniya asked frantically. The knights looked at her suspiciously. Char continued, looking appalled that she had even suggested such a thing. 

" No, of course not. We're keeping it in an Iron cage for the time being. It won't eat, though. Smoking like mad. Occasionally a flame comes out, just like in the wagon. Why? Did you know there was a dragon?" 

" No, no, of course not! Why on earth, would I want a baby dragon? Besides, green's not my color. I mean, if it is green, because lots of dragons are green, and you know..."

" Gleexybly!" a happy tiny noise erupted from an iron cage as it saw her. Anniya cringed. 

" Dragons react better to women, I suppose. Must be the whole virgin thing, same with unicorns, you know, I wouldn't possibly be able to have a dragon besides." Anniya blabbered, mentally kicking herself as she went on. Gleex nuzzled her hand as through the bars. 

" Uh, haha. Isn't that cute, it thinks I'm it's adoptive mother, which I'm not. Before you know it, it's going to start nuzzling Prince Robert. You know how babies are-- so abundant in their love. Perhaps we should get it a toy or something so it will quit rubbing my hand. I think it has an itch of some sort. Well, I'm sorry, but I have really have absolutely no idea who could keep one of these things in captivity, it would of just been awful if something had happened to it, I mean you, and you're not going to kill it, are you?" Anniya bubbled. The Knights exchanged knowing glances. Anniya cringed, but reassured herself that they had absolutely no proof that Gleex was hers. Char spoke up.

" So you are absolutely positive that you have never seen this creature before." 

" Positive." 

"Zyssq Gleex." Gleex cooed, and curled up next to her hand, making happy noises. 

" Alright," Char said, eyeing the dragon curled up against her. 

" And you don't own it, you've never seen it, and you swear this?" Anniya nodded. 

" Of course, of course! What would I be doing with a baby dragon? I knew you would see the light." Char smiled at her, but his face instantly clouded afterwards.

" I need to go speak to Robert then. He claims that you've been babying the dragon for about a month or so, and that you call it Gleex." All of Anniya's calmness went down the drain.

" I'll go fetch him for you." Anniya hurried off towards Robert's tent. 

When she got there, a mysterious accident would occur in which Robert would lose 2 legs and an eye. If he was lucky. Anniya barged into his tent. Robert was going over papers, and looked up when she arrived. 

" You told them all about Gleex?" she demanded. Robert shrugged. 

" I did. What of it?" 

" I just swore to the Prince of Frell that I had never seen Gleex before! I swore that I had never seen Gleex in front of a dozen witnesses! I have just broken the law, all because for once you tell the truth! You never tell the truth, what's gotten into you now?" Robert stood up and walked passed her. 

" Kellia is twice the size of Frell. Their not going to hang me as long as that's in effect. Go tell Char that you were mistaken. He's not going to hang you Anniya; you're over reacting." She rolled her eyes. 

" True, hanging is something that you would be more likely to do. So I go up to him and tell him that I just bloody lied in to his face? I don't think so."

" Go tell him that you were mistaken. Come with me." They walked out to the knights. Anniya pretended to take a second glance at the dragon. 

" Wait-- is this dragon a male?" the knights nodded. " Why didn't you say so! Oh, you were putting me on again! This is Gleex, the little dragon I lost!" Anniya pretended for a joyful reunion. Smiling, she stood up and thanked the men profusely for the finding of Gleex. Satisfied, she tossed her head, and carried Gleex over to her hammock, which she had made a point to hang up. Robert watched her go, and laughed.

" Where did you say she was from again, Robert?" Char asked, curious. Robert just smiled.

" To tell the truth, Char, I think she comes from a little world of her own." Char continued,

" She's a nice girl. Reminds me of Ella, in a way." Robert threw his hands up. 

" Ella, the goddess who has no faults. It's too bad that she left before we arrived. I would of had to meet her." Char blushed, and Robert laughed, and slapped Char on the back. 

" We should get on the road soon. Frell is waiting." 

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They rode on for a few more months, capturing Ogres and such. Gleex grew a considerable amount, now the size of a foxhound. He was unusually small, which meant that he would be a giant when he grew up. The smaller dragons were as hatchlings, the bigger they were fully grown. Robert joked about it with Anniya. 

" The dragon's almost bigger then you, and it's only a hatchling. I don't care what you say, it is far from sweet and innocent. It set Sir Bertram's beard on fire the other day, and all that you did was giggle away."

" Well, it was funny! Sorry if some of us lack a sense of humor." Anniya retorted

. Gleex let out a wisp of smoke, and made one of his noises. Robert shook his head. 

" What are you going to do when he grows to be the size of a small manor? Where will you keep him? Who will let you keep him?" 

" Char for one. He said that as long as Gleex didn't set anymore things on fire, he'd be welcome in Frell." 

"Oh Bloody Hell. It's a dragon; do you think it's honestly going to stop setting fire? That's just as likely as an Ogre becoming a vegetarian." 

" And your ego shrinking." 

" I do not have a gigantic ego, as you love to imply." 

" Oh come on. I know all your little secrets." Anniya told him. 

" At least I don't have five layers of dirt covering my skin." Anniya's eyes flashed. Robert instantly wished that he had not said that.

" Well, I'm sorry. So I haven't had a bath in awhile. So my hair's a little tangled. Maybe I like it that way." There was a touch of upset in her voice, and the touch of Robert's guilt became a wave. 

" We'll be in the palace a few days, just in time for the Madame Olga's wedding. Supposed to be one of the biggest events of the season. They'll wash you all up." 

" Right." Anniya nodded numbly. Then she frowned.

" But why would I want to become clean? So I can go be married off?" 

" No one's forcing you to marry. You have no parents. You're a free phoenix. You can fly as high as you want."

" It would be nice to be different, though. Perhaps slightly unlike the dozens of girls who dress up in fancy dresses and parade about." She looked thoughtful for a moment. A smile spread over her face. But before she could say anything, Gleex began shrieking.

" Gleex? Be quiet you lizard! You'll attract all the bloody Ogres in the land." She turned to Robert and laughed. It still amazed him how pretty her laugh was. Like tinkling bells or something. Laughing, she said, 

" Isn't it funny how these little fellows react? He acts like an arrows about to pierce my heart or something.." an arrow flew past Anniya's ear into the tree behind her. She bolted up, as did the rest of the knights. Not Ogres, thank goodness. Something almost as bad. Bandits. And definitely not West and John. No, these bandit's had earrings dangling from left ears with evil smiles and were dirty and had a malicious gleam in their eyes. They did not look kind at all, and far from John and West's style of living.

" Get them!" All of the Knight's immediately reacted, and got their swords and bows out. It became an all out battle. Could she actually go anywhere without getting in trouble? Anniya wondered. Before she could think anymore, Gleex jumped out of her hands, and tumbled to the ground, still not able to fly. His leathery wings were amidst the clanging of swords and blood. Anniya dove for him unfortunately as the same time as their leader. 

" Ah, we have a wench here." he smiled at her, revealing large black spots in his teeth.

Anniya kicked him, and flipped over, making a grab for Gleex. The man, angry now, grabbed her. 

" Let go of me, and my dragon!" Anniya shouted, and bit down hard on his arm.

He howled in pain, and Anniya smirked, taking this as an opportunity to run. The man tripped her. She landed face down in the hard mud, knocking the wind out of her. She rolled over to the side, nearly missing the sword that came down on her.

" Very courteous to the ladies, aren't you." Anniya told him, backing away from the sword. 

The man ignored her, and sliced the sword through the air. It grazed Anniya's skin, leaving a long line of blood. Pain shot through her. She became consciously aware of the sword looming over her. Anniya was also aware that Gleex was flaming pretty well. Without a hesitation, she scooped Gleex and held him in front of her face. Fire roared at the man, and he screamed, dropping his sword and frantically batting out flames. 

" Zyxaflgleex" Gleex chirped happily. 

Anniya smiled at the tiny dragon, glad to have him around. Slice. Several locks of Anniya's blonde hair fell to the ground. Her eyes narrowed. She had just finished dealing with one psycho; how had another one come so soon? Gleex was just smoking and chirping frantically, aware of the danger. Suddenly, the man fell dead. Well, that had been quick, Anniya thought. She didn't see who saved her; she was only grateful. Finally, after a long time, the bandits retreated. 

A few of the knights were injured, as with the bandits, only one had a third degree burn. 

  
  


" It's really alright; my cut's not that bad." Anniya told Char and Sir Aubrey, as they inspected her wounds.

" The cut may have not been bad, missy, but it's the blades that we're worried about. Bandits like them aren't the type to take the time to clean their swords off. You could have a number of diseases." Sir Aubrey told her.

" Oh that's bloody marvelous. With my luck, I'll almost certainly have one." Anniya grumbled. Gleex licked her with his coarse, rough tongue. Char laughed, and touched the little dragon. His Emerald green coat shown magnificently now; he had also began flaming quite frequently, setting various things on fire. In addition to the growth of his size and color, his abundant devotion to Anniya grew as well. He hissed at anyone who he thought was upsetting her, smoked if she was obviously upset, and sometimes even flamed. His leathery wings began to send him airborne, although he could not fly all that far or high at his age. Although no one matched his love for Anniya, Gleex had also had a liking for Char, and Sir Stephan. Also, with his talent for sending out severe chirps and flaming whenever he thought something dangerous might be coming near Anniya, Gleex proved to be extremely useful. Except for the fact that it seemed Ogres avoided them; the Knights couldn't figure out why. They hadn't seen a single Ogre in ages. Sir Aubrey carefully cleaned Anniya's wound

. " Do you think that we'll be in Frell soon?" Anniya asked Char, curious. Char smiled at her.

" By tomorrow." 


	8. Chapter 7

Anniya 

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" What is this thing doing in my household?" Those were the first words Madame Olga said to Anniya. Char stepped forward. 

" Forgive us, Madame, but we've just come back from patrolling the border. I was aware that you have two young daughters of your own, and I hoped that perhaps she could stay here until this evening? My dearest apologies if this is inconvenienced to you, it's just that I thought" 

" Oh.....well, we certainly would not want to be inconveniencing our Prince, would we? Won't you come in for a moment? Our cook has just prepared some lovely cakes, and Hattie is right up" " Forgive me, Madame, but we need to be on to the Palace. We will see you later this evening at the old castle. Is perchance Ella here......?" Char's voice trailed off when Robert nudged him.

" My congratulations on your wedding, and thank you, again." Char bowed, and left, leaving Anniya to face to singly most large woman she had ever seen in her life. 

The woman was tall and plump, with long, wavy honey colored tresses that Anniya severely doubted were real. How Char thought that she would be better cleaned up here then the palace, she would never know. It was true though that the castle was bustling with meetings, it being the time of year; and that probably the last time the royal family had time for was helping an orphan girl. And that is how Madame Olga and Anniya came to be, staring down each other in Madame Olga's grand hall.

" Well," Madame Olga finally said. 

" This is certainly a surprise." she clapped her hands. Several servants came. 

" See that she is cleaned up. Is that hideous stench coming from you as well?" she asked Anniya. Anniya jutted out her chin, and kept her mouth shut, anger boiling up inside of her. As the water was boiling for her bath, a scream suddenly erupted. 

" What is she doing in here?" a voice almost as syrupy as her mother's called out. 

One of the taller servants spoke for Anniya.

" She's just cleaning up in here, Milady. Surely she isn't a bother of yours."

" Well, I'd say she is. How do you expect me to prepare for Mama's wedding if this thing is in here. See that she is taken out immediately." Taken out? Am I a flower or a girl, Anniya wondered. The servant tried again.

" It'll only be a minute, Milady Hattie. Surely you can wait a moment." The girl sighed, letting large front teeth show. She was a miniature version of her mother, personality and all, Anniya thought. 

" Servants! Do you not know how to obey when your betters are addressed." And so with that, Anniya was moved once again into a further room.

" Sorry about all the trouble, Miss. It's just with all the wedding preparations, the manor's in a bit of a bustle."

" I can see that." Anniya said. She stepped into the hot water, and clean sensation came over her. Smiling, she sank into the warm water. Anniya had always bathed in the Lucarno; nothing fancier. " Well, miss, I'm sorry but I don't know what to put you in. There are no gowns your size, I'm afraid. All the Ladies of the household are a mile taller then you, not to mention a mile wider." Anniya laughed at the girls obvious respect for her " betters." 

" My name's Nancy. In case you need anything." the girl told her, pouring in more hot water. 

  
  


" Thank you." 

" I don't know what were going to have to do with these gowns though. I suppose I'll have to alter them."

In a few hours, Anniya was dressed and clean, a wonderful sensation that she hadn't felt in many years. Just when she thought it was possible for no more screams, a louder one came yet. Along with an incredibly high chirp. The color drained out of Anniya's face, and she raced out of the room, leaving Nancy behind. Following the scream, it led her out into the courtyard, where apparently one of Madame Olga's daughters had been with other participants in the wedding to come. The girl stood there and screamed like mad, as did all the people around her. 

" Kill it, Kill it! It'll eat us all!" the girl screamed. 

One of the manservant's ran out with a sword. 

" No! Don't touch him!" Anniya screamed as the sword came down. 

The man's sword stopped. Gleex stood menacingly, smoking like mad. The man servant held the sword suspiciously to her. 

" Stand back, My lady, and get away! It's dangerous!" More servants were filing out to see what all the fuss was about. He was threatening her by accident.

" No, no, put your sword the other way, quick!" But it was too late. 

Flames roared up, scalding the man. He yelled, and fell back, landing on the lawn. The green grass began crackling, and soon enough it was on fire as well. Hattie fainted, as did some of her friends. The servants frantically began scurrying for water, and trying to catch Gleex. The manservant and the stable help came out and got their weapons, chasing Gleex. 

" No, no, you don't understand!" Anniya shouted in frustration.

She ran out after the men, who were chasing the frightened baby dragon, who was flying clumsily. In a few moments they'd have him. In just a few moments, all hell had broken loose. There was a fire on Madame Olga's prized front lawn, filled with exotic flowers; there were several ladies that had fainted, with servants trying to revive them and at the same time battle the flames; there were men chasing the baby Gleex all through this fire; and there was Anniya, who was following them. 

" I said, stop!" Anniya tackled the manservant, who plummeted to the ground. Gleex raced into Anniya's arms, smoking happily. 

" He's mine, you shouldn't upset him like that. Er, sorry." Anniya weakly said as about thirty people glared at her. Glaring at Gleex, she stood up and went back inside.

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" The girl is a walking catastrophe. I won't have her in my house a moment more then I have to. My prize roses were burnt to a crisp because she was carrying an illegal creature that almost hurt my Hattie. Your majesty must understand the circumstances." Madame Olga cooed at Robert, her arm entwined with Sir Peter of Frell's arm. 

Granted, through what Robert had heard, Sir Peter hadn't seemed that crazy about the wedding. But then again, he had just missed the ceremony. Due to running late, he and Char had arrived in time for the costume ball. Robert hid a smile. That sounded like Anniya alright.

" I'm sure she didn't mean any harm. The dragon does get a little over excited." 

" I should say so! Good gracious, I was certain that we were all doomed when I saw the entire household trying to put out a ravaging fire in front of my house. An overexcited, silly little girl who needs to be put in an orphanage. She's setting an awful example to so many...Oh why hello, Agatha!" Madame Olga bubbled, dismissing her attention from Robert. 

Thankful that he had been released from her endless blabbering, he walked into the mass of dancing people. Chuckling, Robert wished that he could of seen the whole scenario; he could imagine Anniya running across the grand yard, chasing Gleex. He looked around, wondering where she was. Someone tapped him on the shoulder.

" Robert?"

He turned around, and saw a young, petite woman standing in front of him. Her hair was a pure, silky white blonde, done up in a bun with small ringlets hanging out. Her eyes were a sparkling, dancing green eyes, matching her dress. Her skin was smooth and unblemished like satin, and her lips were curved in a smile, red as roses. The scent of roses came off of her, and her dress was an Emerald green, with a two foot trail. The girl was absolutely, startlingly, beautiful. 

" Anniya?" Robert asked, amazed.

" That was my name, last time I checked." she said, still smiling. Sparkling and clean, with her hair combed, Anniya was looked far different from the dirty girl he had met in the forest by chance many months ago. Despite the fact that she had no makeup on, she was still getting stares from every corner of the ballroom. 

" You look.......different." Robert finished lamely. 

Anniya laughed her sparkling, musical laugh that sounded more musical then ever coming from her now. 

" Come on, Robert. I spend all day getting ready, and all that you can say is that I look different? Without the five layers of dirt covering my skin?" Robert shook his head, and laughed too. 

" You look absolutely amazing. Shall we dance?" he bowed, and Anniya took his hand. They went into the gavotte. 

" You look so different!" Robert told her as they went through a fury of steps. Anniya grinned, letting the sparkle of the girl he had known through. It reassured Robert, letting him know that even if Anniya had gone from a dirty girl to a beautiful young lady, she wasn't going to let it go to her head. 

" You've told me that two times now." she replied mid-whirl. 

" You do though. It's so - different seeing you and thinking, that's Anniya, not the belle of the ball." Anniya let out a very unladylike snort. 

" Belle of the ball is stretching it a bit far. Everyone here that was at Madame Olga's household earlier is severely vexed with me." Robert laughed. 

" I heard about Gleex. Olga can't wait to get rid of you." 

" And I of her! The woman is obsessed! She primps herself in the mirror and counts her money, and drives me insane! If I have to spend another day with her, I'll scream." Robert laughed again. " I agree. The richest heiress in Frell, though. The girl Char fancies, Ella I believe her name is, is step daughter to her." At this Robert succeeded in making Anniya laugh. He loved hearing the sound of her laugh, as many people did. 

" So, by chance, if Char and the Ella girl ever married, Madame Olga would be one of his in laws? I pity Char. Are you going to be staying in the palace for long?" Robert shook his head. 

" I'm staying for only a few more days. After that, I'm accompanying Char to Ayorthora. He wanted me to come along. I don't blame him; that Court is just the type that would put Sleeping Beauty to sleep with out the spell." 

" Oh bloody marvelous. So you and Char are going to go prancing off to Ayorthora. Where does that leave me? Hopefully not at this terrible woman's home." Robert laughed. 

" No, thank god. You'll stay in the Palace, if you want, I believe." 

" I hate it the way everyone keeps tossing my around like this. It's like I'm a dog or something. First there was West." she was silent for a moment. 

" I'm not sure if I'm glad if he's gone or not. Then there was John, and now you and Char are leaving me. With my luck, I'll be having flame wars with Madame Olga and her horrible daughter Hattie for the rest of my time here." Robert twirled her around again.

" Why don't you come along with me and Char to Ayorthora? The country could certainly use some excitement." She stared at him for a moment.

" You honestly want me to come along with you to Ayorthora?" Anniya asked him.

" Yes, that's what it sounded like, didn't it?"

" Yes, but I got the impression that you thought I was an annoying dirty girl that was trying to push you around." Robert laughed. 

" Anniya, you have pinpointed my opinion of you of about a month or two ago. Yes, I admit, back then you were an annoying, rude little minx."

" I am not a minx!" 

" That's what Olga's calling you."

" Oh. Well let that hideous woman ruffle all the feathers she wants. What has she got against me, anyhow?" 

" Oh, Anniya, Anniya, Anniya. You set her lawn on fire, she feels that you pushed your way into society, and above all, she's vexed because I'm spending time with you instead of her daughters, and Char is off god knows where." 

" I haven't seen him. Where is he? I want to tell him that he held accountable for setting a fire in Madame Olga's front lawn." Before Robert could reply, a Knight tapped Anniya on the shoulder. " May I cut in?" he asked, and Robert let go of Anniya.

She danced with the Knight for only a few moments before another man cut in. Robert smiled; a few months ago, who would of ever thought that a dirty little Elf girl could of turned out to be the belle of the ball?

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Another chapter done, another chapter coming!!!!!! I am happy to say that I have just finished writing this one at 11:15 PM. I write my best stuff late at night,. Well, this chapters done. Next chapter, Hattie will stick her annoying little rabbit like self in to Anniya's business. Sorry if all the characters aren't exactly how they are in GC. Levine---- I can't even begin to imitate her fabulous style of writing and her wonderful characters. I'll post more soon; the whole party after the ball is going to take up 2 chapters.


	9. Chapter 8

  
  


Anniya 8

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" Hattie! Hattie, dear!" cried out a light voice. 

Hattie's face snapped around, then spotted the girl who had been calling her name. 

" Mariah! How FABULOUS it is to see you today." Hattie bubbled, moving toward the brunette. Niece of the Queen, Mariah was a courtier and hopefully a future friend of Hattie. 

" Who is your friend? We haven't seen her around." Mariah told Hattie, indicating Anniya, who to no surprise, was dancing with some Knight. 

" Oh, her? A trouble making orphan. She threw herself on Char, and now he feels that he must look after her until an orphanage can be found." Mariah clucked her tongue, as did Hattie's friends. 

" Why ever do you ask, Mariah?" Hattie asked the Courtier. Hattie would simply die if Mariah wanted to make friends with scum like Anna, or whatever her name was.

At this Mariah frowned. 

" I keep on trying to talk to the Prince of Kellia, but he keeps on talking to her, the minx. You don't suppose that he's engaged to her, do you?" Hattie laughed a honey coated laugh. 

" I severely doubt. Her name is Anna, or something of that sort. She doesn't even speak Kyrrian, or Kellian! She thinks she's a greenie. Besides, he's engaged to an Ayorthorian Princess." Hattie rolled her eyes. Mariah eyed the girl. 

" Little trouble maker. Is she not even of noble birth?" Hattie shook her head, and the other girls gasped. 

" She's pushing her way into court! Perhaps we should have a word with her." Mariah began. Hattie shook her head, and smiled.

" No, I have a better idea."

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As far as Anniya was concerned, if she had to dance one more time she'd scream. Did these men actually think that she cared about all of their battle triumphs? Or the men that couldn't even speak Elfin. They blabbered on in Kyrrian, some how expecting her to learn Kyrrian in a matter of seconds. All these people! It was making her head spin. Another young Lord came up to her/ " Care to dance, Milady?" he asked her. 

" No, thank you. I'm sitting this one out." Anniya told him politely. 

Getting up, she went to get some wine. There so many foods, Anniya couldn't decide which to choose. There were gooseberry tarts and quail eggs and spice cake and deer legs and rice and so many more. Anniya looked at them all, debating which one to choose. She frowned at the deer meat, but then saw an absolutely delicious looking treat.

" Robert; what is that?" she asked him.

" That, Anniya," Robert picked one up, " is chocolate, the singly most delicious treat known to this world. Have one." Anniya picked one up, along with a gooseberry tart. 

Perhaps it was just her imagination, but lately Robert had seemed-- nicer, almost. His swearing had stopped, or at least had gone down. He didn't tease Anniya anymore, and if he did, it was in a nice way. He no longer made chauvinistic comments, like he used to. In fact, Robert was downright charming now. Better and nicer then the Robert she had met in the Forest. Back then if Robert and an Ogre had been in the same camp, she might of had a hard time telling them apart. Anniya laughed to herself. Maybe not that bad. She reached over to get some wine just when it splashed over her dress. Anniya whipped around to see Madame Olga jr., gushing apologies. 

" Oh Anniya, I am So sorry." Hattie said in Elfin, smirked until she realized that it had been her dress that Nancy had altered, and her face completely changed.

" Why are you wearing my dress?" she demanded. 

" Nancy-your maid--she altered it for me. She said that you'd outgrown it." Anniya could tell by the look on Hattie's face that she wanted to do nothing more then kill Anniya at that moment. 

But then her face cleared and returned to Hattie's normal, rabbit like look.

" If you don't mind, your highness, could I borrow Anniya for a moment? I simply must introduce her to my friends." 

Without really waiting for an answer, she grabbed Anniya's arm and dragged her away to a group of girls.

" This is Anniya." Hattie told them all.

Immediately, the girls began looking her over, searching for a split end, or better yet, a pimple. To their dismay, they didn't find any but decided that Anniya was a little too skinny and probably had an eating disorder. A dark haired girl with fair skin spoke up first. 

" I'm Mariah of Frell, niece to the Queen Daria." she told Anniya, smiling at her. 

Anniya smiled back uncertainly. 

" Where are you from?" Another girl piped up. 

" Uh..... The Elve's forest." Anniya told them. 

It was close enough. Within moments she was bombarded by more questions. 

" How old are you?"

" Who were your parents?"

" Do you like dancing?"

" Where are you staying?"

" Are you engaged?" 

Anniya answered them all best she could. Hattie's friends were much nicer then Hattie herself, and even Hattie seemed to be nicer to Anniya.. A man came up to ask Anniya to dance, and she excused herself from them.

" Oh, but wait Anniya. We're going on a little outing tomorrow. Would you like to come with us?"

" I'd love to."

" We'll come and get you when we go, alright?" Mariah told her.

Anniya smiled, and went off to dance with the young Lord. After Anniya was safely off dancing, Mariah smirked. 

" Oh, I come from the Elves forest!' 'No, no, The Prince and I are just friends'. Please, what a greenie! Honestly, Hattie, how did you deal with her?"

" I know Hattie! It must of been awful!" Blossom told Hattie. 

Hattie smiled, glad that some people finally understood how horrid the little wannabe greenie was. " How long do you think it will take to get her out of here?" Blossom asked. 

" Soon! Lord Jeocke was on the verge of proposing yesterday, but now he hasn't asked me to dance with him once since I got here! All because he's been lusting after that little Elf!" Mariah stamped her foot, her patient front gone. 

Most of the girls felt as Mariah did, in fact. The unmarried bachelors had been circling around Anniya, and she paid no mind to them, which upset the maidens even more. They couldn't go about spreading rumors about her stealing their men when Anniya didn't want to steal their men. 

" I know! Lord Kryse can't even speak Elfin, and he's done nothing but hang over her the entire time! We need to get rid of the little Minx soon." Hattie smiled. " She'll be gone soon. As soon as she's certain that were her friends, we'll carry out the plan. In the mean time, we need to salvage what we can from the Enchantress's greedy little palms." With the flick of her Honey colored locks, she waltzed over from the toward the Prince of Kellia. Oh yes, the little half bred greenie would be sorry that she crossed paths with Hattie. 

  
  


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" Anniya, no, your pronouncing your E's wrong. The word is Hello, not Haelo."

" Heelo?" 

" Repeat after me, Haelo.... you have me doing it now!" Char laughed at Robert's frustration. 

He shook his head, and moved closer to Anniya. 

" Ok, I'm going to say some words, and your going to write them down, ok?" Anniya nodded. She was getting good enough at Kyrrian to listen to what Char had to say, and understand the most of it. Robert still talked to her in Elfin though, thank goodness. 

" My name is Char. The weather is fine today. Do you like gooseberry tarts? See how the unicorn's coat gleams in the sun."

Char rambled off more sentences, sounding mechanical and completely unlike him. Anniya laughed, but scribbled down what she thought he was saying. Robert picked up the paper and read it.

" I name is Char. Your weather is today. Does you guess gooseberry cakes? Look how the man's gown gleams in the dark." 

Both of the men laughed, and told Anniya what she had just written. In her frustration, she picked up the quill and speared it into the wall. 

" Stupid Kyrrian! Why can't everyone just speak a decent language? I've been working on this for so long, and still no progress!" 

" Don't be so hard on yourself. You're making a lot of progress for someone who's not even familiar with the language." Char told her gently. 

" Thank you, Char, but it still doesn't make me feel any better. I'm sick of not knowing what everyone's saying, I'm sick of it!" The great clock bonged, the noise echoing throughout the hall. Char stood up. 

" Father will want to be starting. The trip to Ayorthora isn't a short one. Come as soon as you can, Anniya." Char told her. Until Anniya could grasp Kyrrian and Ayorthorian, they wanted her to stay in Kyrria.

The royal household wasn't exactly what Anniya was doing in the castle anyhow---- all that they frankly knew was that she spoke Elfin and was a friend of both Princes. 

" You'll be invited to all the cotillions, if you want." Char told her as he stepped into the carriage. Robert grinned at her. 

" Learn Kyrrian fast, 'Niya. Come to Ayorthora soon, and try to keep Gleex's fire danger low." Anniya smiled back at him. 

" I'll see you soon." she promised, and she waved goodbye to both of them as the carriage went out of sight. She now faced a problem: her life. The royal household had no clue why she was there, and now that Char and Robert were gone, Anniya felt completely out of place. Gleex was down in the royal zoo, making friends with their baby dragon for the time being. In her week in Kyrria, her life had been a whirlwind. She took baths every night, she had gone to one wedding, and was constantly bombarded with questions. In fact, she was invited to a cotillion that very night, at some house. She didn't really care. More so, she didn't want to go. But at least she was to go somewhere with Mariah, Hattie and the other girls. It would only be a few weeks or so before she could go to Ayorthora.. And Anniya would see Robert and Char soon. Reluctantly, she picked up her incredibly heavy and annoying skirts, and went back inside. 

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	10. Chapter 9

  
  


Anniya

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" Look at her! Honestly, does she have any self respect at all?"

" You know how it is with the greenies."

" It's almost funny, in a sick sort of way. Look at how she's twisting them around her finger. I heard that she really speaks Kyrrian, but just pretends that she can't understand it."

" You know that crazed blood thirsty dragon that she has? Well, Yvette told me that she was running back to her carriage for something, and suddenly she heard this piercing whistle."

Mariah's story captured all of the girls attention. " Go on." Blossom prodded. 

" Anyway, Yvette thought it was a hawk or something of that sort-- until she looked to see where it was coming from. It was from the little monster! She was calling on that blood thirsty creature of hers that almost killed Hattie!" The other girls gasped, Hattie included.

All this was shocking news, but Hattie smirked as she dropped the bomb. 

" I've heard more. She's apparently wanted in the town of Jenn for murder." All the girls gasped again. But Mariah shook her head.

" Hattie, is it true? I'd believe if she was a witch, but what would she be doing in Court if she were a murderer? She'd be lying low." Hattie smirked again, as she pulled out a crude sign that Sir Peter had brought back from the town. 

Hattie had happened to take a glimpse of it. She dangled the sign in front of the other girl's faces. On it, accused of murderer, were two men and a young girl. The girl's facial features were unmistakably Anna's. Or was it Annya? Hattie frowned, and continued. 

" You know those Bandits that Charmont said escaped into the Fens? She was partners with those bandits. What do they call themselves?" 

The other girl's shrugged, and eagerly started whispering. 

" Mariah, Hattie?" called out the girl's voice herself.

The other girls kept on talking, knowing that Anniya couldn't speak Kyrrian. Hattie shushed them all, and she plastered a fake smile on her face.

" Anna! We wondering where you were!" she cooed in Elfin. Anniya smiled uncertainly. Mariah spoke up. 

" Where ever have you been? We've been waiting up for you." 

" I'm sorry! There were all these maids fussing over what I should wear. Very annoying." Hattie resisted the urge to laugh. This poor pitiful creature didn't want maids fussing over what she should wear. This girl had to go.

" Yes, come with us Anna. Mariah and I going to go to the market. We were worried that you might be late." She beckoned Anniya to follow her. 

The market was alive and bustling with noise. There were parrots from all lands exotic; silks and beautiful material, glittering jewels, foods of all kind, horses, and so many more things. Gleex chirped happily as he saw the parrots. Anniya grinned. Hattie hated Gleex still, but Mariah tolerated him , feeding him a bit of cheese occasionally. Gleex was oddly hostile toward Mariah as well though. They had two guards escorting them as they all walked down the street. Anniya wished she had money, and looked left and right, wondering what she could buy with the two KJ's Robert had left her. A bird jabbered in her home language. 

" Good day to you, might I have a sweet or two?" he talked as she passed by. 

Anniya couldn't help but laugh. It was nice to here the familiar accent, that the Kyrrian's lacked. Mariah suddenly stopped and glanced at Anniya, as Hattie did. Anniya self-consciously felt her hair and looked at her dress.

" Your Laugh." Mariah told her. Anniya stared at her. 

" What about it?"

" Nothing. Nothing. Let's get back in the carriage." she said quickly. 

As they did so, Anniya noticed that Hattie nudged Mariah a bit. Strange. She didn't say anything, but got back in the carriage. They had the entire day to spend here. 

" Miladies, I don't know if the carriage will be able to carry all of this home." 

" It better. You'll be carrying it otherwise. Oh no!" Hattie exclaimed.

" What's wrong?" Anniya asked her. 

" My money change purse! I left it back at that shop!"

" I'll go for it, Lady Hattie." one of their escorts volunteered. \

" No, honestly. It's a woman's booth. Who knows what they'd think? No, I suppose it's gone for good." Hattie sighed unhappily. 

" I'll run and get it for you." Anniya volunteered. Despite the fact she had made friends with Hattie, she knew the girl wouldn't shut up until she had it back. 

Hattie's eyes lit up oddly. 

" You will? Oh Anniya, you're wonderful! We'll wait right here for you!" 

" Shouldn't we at least drive her there..." the coachman began. Anniya began,

" Yes, please.."

" No, that wouldn't be impossible. The streets too narrow." Hattie cut in. 

Anniya stared at the girl. she hadn't remembered the street being too narrow. It was sunset now. If she ran, she could get there in time. 

" Wait right here. I'll be back in a moment." Once she was around the corner, Anniya would kick off her shoes and sprint. 

" That's a wonderful idea! Hurry now, so we can get back in time!" Mariah told her. 

Smiling uncertainly, she began running toward the jewelry place, where Hattie had left her purse. After running for a few minutes, something suddenly occurred to her. Hattie had thrown her old money pouch away since she had boughten a new one. Why would Hattie told her this? Anniya turned back, running just as fast, with a quick beating heart. They wouldn't. Surely they wouldn't. As she veered where they had been 10 minutes ago, what she had dreaded had come true. They had tricked her. They had left her, stranded in the middle of the capital city, with no money, no friends, and no language. 


	11. Chapter 10

  
  


Anniya

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" There is no way you can make that one, my friend!" Samuel hollered, daring West to make the target.

He set his bow and grinned. He released it, and it split the arrow that he had shot before. The tavern burst into wild drunk applause. 

" Thank you, gentlemen." West told them, collecting his money. 

He tipped his hat at the thieves and gamblers and the drunks, and started to walk out. 

" Milord, you forgot your Ale!" A sweet voice said. 

West grinned again, and accepted the free Ale from the redhead and her friend. 

" You are a wonderful archer. I knew you were going to win." Redhead said, gazing into his eyes. West smiled at her.

" I was just getting warmed up. What are you doing tonight?" 

" I was actually wondering the same thing about you." the girl said sweetly, and began unbuttoning his shirt. 

" West!" John grabbed him. 

" Trouble." he whispered in West's ear. 

West nodded, and gave the redhead an apologetic smile as he raced out of the tavern with John to their horses. 

" How much money do you have?" 

" 50 Silver KJ's. We have to get out of here before he realizes it's missing." West nodded, and kicked his stallion. It neighed, then shot out onto the soon darkening street. The market was slowly closing. 

" Where are we staying tonight?"

" Tavern. We can afford it." West nodded. 

His golden hair reflected the lanterns that had been hung. 

" Go pick a couple of pockets. We need some gold KJ's if we want to convince once of the higher taverns we won't be robbing their safes." West grinned. 

" Got you. We'll meet up at the Dragon's Door Tavern, agreed." He said before spinning his horse around in the other direction. 

Some of the classy Tavern's, like the Dragon's Door, only accepted Gold KJ's. No one would be able to follow West and John in there. Not to mention Dragon's Door would have plenty of money that West and John could help themselves to. West scanned the area for perhaps the few high society people that would be left to rob. He got off Diobla, his stallion. It meant Devil in Latin, a suiting name for the horse. West saw a girl leaning against a statue. He wouldn't hurt her. Killing or emotionally hurting girls was one thing that West did not do. Still, the girl probably had a rich Father. She wouldn't miss the money. West whistled, walking by. Usually he tried to get people to trust him before he robbed them, but he was in a hurry tonight. Suddenly, he grabbed the girl, clapping a hand over her mouth and a dagger to her ribs.

" Lovely weather were having tonight, aren't we? Hand over your money." The girl slowly reached down for something. 

Then suddenly, a sharp kick was delivered to his stomach. West stumbled back, falling down. Due to years of training, he got up in a flash, narrowly missing a kick delivered to his head. He looked to see who had kicked him. Hell, he thought as West realized it was the girl. She had started to run. West swung his foot out, tripping her. Her head hit the pavement with a sickening crack. She lay there still for a few moments, then weakly got up, and began running again. West started sprinting. Who the hell was this girl? West ran faster. Ten feet. He hadn't seen her face yet, but the girl's white blonde hair looked oddly familiar. 5 feet. West sped up. He could almost touch her. He grinned as he realized where they were. The river Lucarno. West had her cornered. The girl paused. Then she jumped. West stared in amazement. What had happened to the girls that practically handed him their KJ's? He dived in after her. The currents thrashed angrily in the Night. It was steadily getting cold. West spotted the girl's head. It disappeared under the currents, only to appear several moments later. The skirts would be weighing her down. The girl wouldn't last much longer. West kicked furiously, hoping he could reach her in time. The girl's head disappeared under the water. Taking a deep breath, he dived under, groping for anything that remotely resembled a dress. Due to career, he was as good at swimming as he was at running and archery. West felt a clump of material. He pulled it up, only to discover that it had been a bag. He tossed it back and dived again. She would be dead soon. West felt another material, this one silky and heavier. It was the girl, sure enough. West pulled her up to the surface, and kicked toward the shore, careful to keep the girl's face above the surface. As the water became shallow, he looked at the girl's face. She wasn't breathing. But West noticed something else. Despite the green silk gown, the delicate white ringlets that were now wet, the Emerald green necklace, the remaining scent of perfume, the girl was no ordinary girl. It was Anniya. He stared at her for a moment. Where was Robert? Those people she had been with? Had they left her here? He pushed those thoughts out of his mind, and hit hard on the back. He felt her pulse. It was barely there.

" Anniya! Speak to me!" West told her angrily, hitting her on the back again. 

This time, she weakly coughed up water.

" Breathe, Anniya!" he told her, holding the petite blonde in a sitting position. She blinked, and began breathing again, in short rasps. Thank god he hadn't killed her. 

" My head hurts." she said weakly. West saw that the normally white hair was soaked with blood. Fear gripped him. 

" Can you stand?" he asked her. 

" I don't really know." she told him, her voice cracking. 

" Lean on me. I'm going to get you to a doctor. How are you?" Anniya looked at him. At that particular moment, she was even more beautiful then he remembered her. She sat up, and looked at him clearly. 

" You left me. You left me, and you tried to take Gleex." Anniya told him.

" Anniya, you know that I couldn't stay with you. How are you feeling? Thank god I got you when I did." he asked her in Elfin.

" West, how can you ask me how am I? I'm still standing, aren't I?" she said sharply.

He stared at her.

" Anniya, I'm sorry about what I did back at the camp. I shouldn't of...."

" Do you expect me to go on like everything's ok now? Well, you know West, it's not. It's not ok. It's not okay to try and take my dragon and leave me. You kiss me, as if that's supposed to make everything alright."

" Anniya, it look's like you have a concussion. You're head is bleeding, and you just literally"

" Leave me alone. Go kill some more people. I hate you." 

" Before I leave you alone, where is Robert? Where the hell did he go to leave you out in the slums of the capital?" 

" He didn't leave me. I didn't know Ayorthorian, so I was supposed to stay here until I could speak it well enough. I came here with some friends. Some friends they turned out to be."

West crouched down, to get a better view of her face in the dark night. Anniya was glaring at him, even in pain. Yes, it was definitely Anniya. No other girl would be glaring at her rescuer. 

" Well, for now, at least come with me."

" Over my dead body."

" I'll bring flowers to your funeral. Come on now, I'm not going to leave you on the river banks for some serial killer."

" I'm with you, aren't I?" Anniya said sarcastically.

" Fine. I'll leave you here."

" Fine." 

" Anniya, just trust me. You need a doctor."

" Just leave me alone. Or, maybe even better, I'll leave you." 

Anniya stood up, and began walking away. She took three steps before she crumpled to the ground. West went over and picked her up. Walking up the bank, he acknowledged John was going to kill him. He clucked his tongue loudly, hoping Diobla was in the area. Indeed he was, and trotted toward West. He hoisted himself and Anniya on the horse, and reined him toward the Dragon's door tavern. 

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	12. Chapter 11

  
  


Anniya 

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West had gone down three streets before he heard the whistle. He had heard it before, was why he suddenly grabbed Anniya and threw both her and himself off the horse. Diobla made a sharp turn as well, narrowly missing a shower of fire. West stood up, brushing the dirt off himself. 

" So we meet again, you dirty little lizard." West told Anniya's dragon. 

It's Forest green scales shined under the light from the lanterns. He had grown from the size of a small dog to the size of a large Labrador. 

" I see you've learned how to fly as well as flame since the last time I saw you. Now understand something here. I am not going to hurt Anniya." West told the dragon, forgetting it's name. 

It cocked it's head, studying West. West gave it a short smile, then tried to pick Anniya back up. The Lizard snapped at West, and smoked a bit, threatening to flame. 

" Oh for-- Damn you, stupid creature, I'm trying to help her here! Do you want to try and carry her someplace? I didn't think so." West picked her up again, only to have the baby dragon hiss warnings at him. 

West sighed, and leaned down. 

" Ok. Look- friend is hurt. West needs to help friend. West can't help friend unless you stop unleashing hell." 

The dragon studied him again for a moment, then studied Anniya. It nudged her, then started frantically whistling when he discovered she wasn't moving. This would take all night. If Anniya wouldn't kill him, West would be very tempted to end the dragon's annoying little life. The dragon started whistling wildly, upset. 

" Are you going to let me help her, or are you going to hoot like an owl for the rest of the night?" 

West asked, reduced to talking with an oversized lizard. The dragon nudged West. West didn't move.

" Look you stupid, stupid, creature, I might have to sell your hide to the local baker if you do not let me-- What the.....?" West gave a sudden cry of pain as the dragon bit him. 

He jumped up and checked his leg. It hadn't gone in deep, not as deep as it could of. And apparently no poison had been released. The dragon pointed it's head toward Anniya, as if to say, " If she dies it's all your fault because your sitting here when you should be helping her. It's your own fault I had to bite you." West glared at the dragon, almost kicked it but then thought better. He hoisted Anniya up on Diobla, then went on his way, with Anniya's dragon swooping behind him. 

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" Dear god, West, where have you been? We have to get out of here! I just robbed Dragon's Door clean!," John rushed at West, his face clouded with anger. He stopped when he saw Anniya. After studying her for several moments, he spoke. 

" She looks familiar. The Elfin girl, Anniya?"

West nodded. 

" She needs a Healer." 

" Aye, I can see that well. Her head's bleeding a river. Is he tagging along?," John asked, indicating Gleex.

West nodded. John sighed.

" Very well, then. What's this?" 

John glanced at Anniya's necklace.

" Some necklace."

" Why is it glowing?" 

West looked at it closely. In truth, a faint green glow was growing steadily brighter.

" What the-." 

Suddenly, a burst of extreme green light came out, blinding West temporarily. He stumbled back, almost dropping Anniya. The green light from the necklace suddenly disappeared into her skin. 

" What was that?," John demanded. Before West could reply, he caught a glimpse of something glowing under her skin. 

" Let's get a healer."

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" In all my years, I have never seen anything quite like this," the healer told them.

" Aren't you going to bandage her?," West asked impatiently. 

The ancient man should at least bandage her, for the number of KJ's they were paying. The old man shook his head.

" Look at this, boy." 

West glanced at Anniya's head. And stared. The blood, the wound nearly down to the bone, had healed. Completely. The only thing that showed she had the injury was the dried blood in her pale hair. John looked at the Healer. 

" You did this?," he asked, amazed.

The old man shook his head.

" I don't know myself, but I didn't do it. Something more then healing caused this. Deep, powerful magic. There was a good chance that your friend could of never woke up again. Tell me, are either you skilled in the magical arts? Fairy blood?"

They shook their heads. The old man went on. 

" Whatever happened, you are indeed very lucky. Her entire skull seems to have healed itself. Bones set in the right place. I'd like to keep her here for overnight observation, if you permit." 

West glanced at John. This would put a damper on their plans. Overnight meant in the morning, Knights and the Royal Guard would be milling around, looking for evidence. A dragon wouldn't be much help keeping them anonymous either. 

" Dawn we need her," John said finally. 

The old man nodded. 

" Dawn it is then." 

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" Now then, pretty missy, open your eyes for me. Ah, that's a good girl." 

The first thing Anniya saw when she opened her eyes was an old man poking around her. She bolted up right, ready to run.

" Ah, sit back down. You just had a mighty bad injury, and miraculously healed or not, you'll need your strength." 

" How much do we owe you?," Anniya heard a familiar voice ask. 

It sounded a little like West's. She bolted upright. It was West. She turned to the Healer.

" What are they doing here?," she demanded.

" They were the one's that brought you here." Anniya snorted.

" No, really. I thought he was the reason why I was brought here." 

The Healer looked between the two, and sighed. 

Suddenly, there was a loud bang on the door. 

" Open up, in the name of the King!" a voice called. 

Even before the door opened, West and John froze. The old Healer frowned, but went to open it. A tall man bowed, and Anniya could see that there were quite a few men behind him. The tall man pushed his way past the Healer, as did the other men, stopping in front of West and John.

" You're under arrest. Seize them."

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	13. Chapter 12

  
  


Anniya 13

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" Milord, could you give us the reason for our arrest?" John asked, trying to buy time. 

" For illegal transporting of dragons, murder, theft, and other numerous things I might name. Tie them up." 

" But wait. You can't arrest them without any proof. How do you know these are the men that your looking for?," Anniya asked the tall man. Why was she standing up for West and John? The tall man glanced in her direction. The man was wearing regal clothing, so he was surely high up in the court. He was old enough to be her Father, with a touch of gray in his black hair, matching his cold gray eyes. His moustache looked like a dead rat suspended beneath his nose. He smiled sickly, his eyes lingering on her for what seemed a little too long. Anniya shifted uncomfortably. A bad feeling ran through her. 

" We have a little lady with us." He touched one of her white blonde curls. Anniya flinched. The man stared at her, and laughed. 

" Little whore is a bit feisty for her work. I haven't all day to listen to a slut's accusations. Tie them up." 

Anniya opened her mouth to snap back that she was not a prostitute, and tell him what she thought of him. John spoke for her. 

" Anniya? A prostitute, is that what you are calling her?," he snapped. 

The man laughed. 

" There, there. The girl will have work after you are safely locked up in prison. I will make sure of it." 

The man hardly had time to finish the sentence before West punched him. The man toppled back, then regained his balance. A knife spun through the air. But what happened next happened in slow motion. The knife seemed headed for West's heart. He couldn't turn fast enough. John ran and pushed West out of the way. The knife drove into his rib cage, blood gushing out. Anniya stared in horror as the blood soaked through John's tunic. 

" Get them!" 

West yanked Anniya up, and grabbed John, who was hobbling. Arrows flew past them. Feet were heard behind them. This is it, Anniya thought. I'm going to die. There was no way West could defend himself, Anniya, and John. But Anniya had forgotten about someone very special. Someone that shared the same Forest Green color. With a roar of fire, several men were down. Gleex soared through the air, making battle cries. They ducked into an alley for a minute. 

" Anniya, I need you to promise me something," West told her.

Anniya forgot that he was a stupid jerk for a moment. She remembered from enough tales though, that what those words meant.

" What do you want me to do?"

" Take this letter to Robert and Char. You'll be safe with them."

" Safe? Where are you going?"

" I'm turning myself and John in."

Anniya stared at him for a full moment. It took awhile to sink in.

" To that horrible man that looked like he wanted to rape me on the spot? I hate it when you joke like this, West. It's not funny. At all."

" I am damn serious. John risked his life to save me, and we're not going to get anywhere with him bleeding like this. He's unconscious, Anniya!" 

" So your leaving me? Oh you horrible, horrible, low down, nasty thing! You're leaving me!"

" It's John's only chance. Damn you, don't be so self centered! Look at John! What do you expect me to do, leave John to rot in this alley? So that I can give you a personal tour of the city?," West said harshly.

" Oh, you're terrible! Do you think that I would want John to die? Is that how low you think I am? Well, if we want to think about low, lets talk about you. First you leave me, then you come back to rob me and give me a concussion. Then you leave me alone, when I don't even speak Kyrrian! When I have no money, when I don't have transportation, when I'm completely lost!" 

" By the devil, do you think I want to go? Do you think I'm looking forward to being tortured, having my fingers twisted off, being burnt, being whipped, being in constant pain?" 

Anniya raged.

" Are you accusing Prince Char? The sweetest man I have ever met? Or his Father, for if he has spawned such a kind person as Char, I find it hard to believe that he would torture you. Not that you don't deserve it."

" I'm not saying that the Prince or his Father would order such a thing. The King disapproves strongly of torture. But that man I hit back there; do you think he would hesitate to issue torture? What the King doesn't know about won't hurt him, as some traitors will see." 

" Then how is being tortured going to help John? Finish him off quicker, so you can get back to your 'work', as you put it so nicely?" 

West shook his head. 

" I'm going to admit that I was the ringleader. I did the trade, the killings, and John never had any idea what was going on. Even if they don't believe me, they'll have healers to attend to him."

" I still hate you."

" Nice to know that we're going off on our usual terms. I would kiss you if you didn't bite me. Damn, your beautiful."

" I hope they throw you in a cage full of snakes. But no, then you'd be with all your brothers, wouldn't you?" 

West didn't reply, for the voices were getting louder. He handed Anniya a stained piece of paper.

" Give this to Robert. He'll watch you." 

" I don't need watching. And why would you care? After all, you're the one that's abandoning me."

" Cut the attitude for a minute. There is one thing I don't want you doing. Here's enough KJ's to get you in the best taverns in the city. You know that man? Don't ever go to him. I didn't like the way he was looking at you." 

Anniya shivered against her will. Suddenly, she wanted to hug West. She didn't want to lost another person. There was a hanging silence for a minute. 

" You know how to take care of yourself. Hold your head high, and give them hell." 

" You too." 

West turned his golden head to look at the voices. Knowing that she would probably never see him again, Anniya stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek. At last moment, he turned his head. The kiss lasted for a long time; it seemed like neither one of them wanted it to end. But eventually, it did end. 

" You know, I think I loved you from the first day I saw you in the tavern," West told her softly. Anniya didn't say anything, just rested her head on his chest.

" I have to go now. I'll see you again." 

" I know. I just don't know when."

" One day. One day." 

With that, West gently eased the petite blonde off him. 

" Take my knife. It might come in handy." 

Anniya nodded. 

" Run now. Now. Whistle and go to the healer to find Diobla. Find Robert." 

Anniya nodded again, and ran. As fast as she could. So she wouldn't cry.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Ah, just as Anniya finally wises up, it's off to the torture chambers for West. I've been working up to this, though. As a preview for the next chapter, Anniya's going to have to start on her quest to find Robert and Char, to give them West's letter and to inform Char that rat-moustache man is up to no good( we find out more about him in the next chapter) Will Anniya get to Robert in time? Can she face her mysterious past? Will rat-moustache man try to hurt her? Will John survive? Can West withstand torture? And worst of all, Will Hattie be able to make her orthodontist appointment? I was listening to that recent matchbox twenty song- the one that goes ' I think your so mean-I think we should try-and I mean when your gone-maybe you need to come home' or something like that. It inspired me to write this chapter. Don't worry, Anniya will be back to insulting people by the next chapter.

  
  



	14. Chapter 13

Anniya 14

  
  


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" Excuse me? Sir?"

Sir Alan finished a duel. A short, blonde girl stood in front of him. He sighed. All these Noble Woman came in, thinking they could hire him to teach their bratty sons how to sword fight. But, after all, he was one of the greatest swordsmen in the world. But Alan taught talent. He made Masters, not talent less weaklings. He turned to the girl.

" Look Milady, I'm not teaching yer son how to play if he's not even brave enough to come beg for a lesson. And no gold will tempt me, before you get out your--."

" First of all, I'm 15 years old. I have no sons. Second of all, I want you to teach me."

Sir Alan stared at the girl for two seconds. Then he burst into laughter.

" What? You think I'm joking? I'm bloody serious!," the blonde snapped back. Alan noticed for the first time that the girl had an accent, her words not perfectly clear. 

" Milady, even if I did teach you, I am going on a Caravan to Etai."

" Is that suppose to make a difference? I go with you on the Caravan, and you teach me."

Alan studied the petite blonde for a moment. 

" Milady, give me one good reason why I should take you on?"

The girl drew herself to her full height, obviously expecting the question.

" Because I'll work harder then any other boy you've tried to teach before. There won't be a night when I'm not out practicing. Because if you take me on, you are going to get one hell of a swordsman. And because if I do succeed, the credit goes to you."

" Have you ever handled a sword?"

" Sir, I have never even touched a sword."

Alan hid a smile. The girl's honesty was so.... honest, it was almost appalling. 

" But Sir, I can assure you that I will learn, and once I learn, there will be no stopping me. 

" Milady, forgive me, but you must understand that I usually do not take on students over the age of ten, and I have never taught or even considered teaching a woman. And by Kyrria's dying breath, if you want to become a knight, I would sooner-."

The girl laughed. It had a crystal, ringing sound to it, making it sound like bells. But girls who were as pretty as this girl was, with a laugh that sounded like a goddess's, did not simply take up sword fighting. In Alan's lifetime, he had actually had one or two plain, poor, ugly girls come up and beg for a lesson. But never, in his life, had a pretty girl that looked well off, come up to ask for sword training.

" You honestly think that I'm asking you this so I can become a knight? So I can wave a sword around and cut my hair and spend the rest of my life pretending I'm a boy? Actually, my Sir, I have higher goals then that. And I can only accomplish them if you agree to teach me," the girl told him, pursing her lips. 

Alan smiled. In a strange way, she reminded him of a forty year younger female version of himself. Then he took the girl's hand and kissed it.

" Sir Alan of Camdyn."

" Anniya of Kyrria."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Anniya didn't know how if West and John were still alive. She knew that they would be seemingly mad at her if they were; she was to go directly to Robert. 

West knew Anniya; he just didn't know her quite as well as he thought he did. Anniya was not the sort of girl that would start begging for meals and selling herself in the streets after being abandoned, as West worried she would. And she certainly wasn't going to go plead to Char and Robert, as West had hoped. No, Anniya, was the sort of girl who took charge of her own destiny. And it started with Sir Alan. Though Alan had spotted remarkable talent in Anniya, he didn't tell her.; she was a natural, memorizing the 5 Juna's and the 8 Amida's in the time period of a month. He didn't know where she kept herself in the day; but late into the night he could look outside and see the tiny blonde practicing. Why a girl her age had chosen to do this, he never asked and she never offered. 

That month, a fever swept through Kyrria. It didn't really concern Anniya, but for awhile Alan worried that he might have a girl with the effects of the fever, do want to take up something as crazy as fencing. But after awhile, Sir Alan found that it was certainly not the case, though the fever would certainly be something to worry about later.

" By god woman, you are a natural! A pure natural! Do you know how long it takes normal students to get up to your level? At least three years! Not a month! Do you have any advice?,"

Alan would exclaim. Anniya had already mastered another 6 Stanton attacks. The blonde girl would grin.

" Switch to girls. You'd be surprised how much more accomplished fighters you'd have." 

Alan would laugh, and they would go back to dueling again. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

  
  


" Hey there missy! While your tidying up, would you mind getting me a cup of ale?," a redheaded boy that looked around Anniya's age asked. 

She self-consciously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. About twenty boys and two other teachers, excluding Alan, stood in the courtyard. Her first practice with others. 

" Actually, I'm here to learn, and if you want your ale, go get it your bloody self!"

The boys gaped at her for a full two seconds before bursting into laughter. Anniya glared at them, and held her chin up as she took out her blade. 

" A mighty fine jest, missy! Who's teaching you? A stable hand?," the redhead gasped, laughing still. 

" Sir Alan of Camdyn," Anniya told him evenly, trying her hardest to ignore him. 

The boy's expression changed. 

" You jest! No knight as great as Sir Alan would take on a stupid little girl!"

Anniya looked sharply up, clenching her hands onto her plain white skirt. Shut up, she mentally told the boy. Anniya couldn't afford to mess up because of her temper. 

" Oh, she's too frightened to say anything. Speak up, honeysuckle. Hasn't big men like Sir Alan and the other masters inspired you to fight? Or did you think that sword fighting is advanced sewing?"

Anniya's temper snapped. So much for trying to remain silent.

" Actually, I'm learning a lot from strong inspirational men like yourself. Until a moment ago, I was unaware that pigs could grow to be 6 feet tall. But, now meeting you, I understand that pigs indeed can grow to that height." 

Anniya smiled sweetly, saying the words with a caustic edge. The redhead stared at her.

" But anyway, thanks for informing me, honeysuckle," Anniya told him, emphasizing honeysuckle.

" Who are you to think that you can talk to us like that? Who are you, anyway? A little wannabe knight? If you think that's what you're going to be, girl, you are dead wrong. First of all, the King doesn't let girls in, in case that slipped your delicate little mind. Second of all, if he did, he wouldn't let a dwarf in," a dark haired boy snickered. The rest of them laughed. 

" You think that's what I want to be? So I can wave around a sword like a stick? So I can sit and write poetry all day and grow to be roughly the size and weight of a baby giant? So I can go prance around in expensive boots and wave a bow around and shout, " Look at me! I'm a bloody Pig in a pair of boots? I think not. But oh, I'm sorry. I've just described what you all are going to be in a few years," Anniya said sweetly, knowing perfectly well that knights were the opposite of what she was describing. These lunatics probably wouldn't care, just as long as recognized the insult. The dark haired one sighed, taking out his sword.

" Prepare to fight. I hate to fight a woman, even a street rat like yourself, but----."

He was cut off as Anniya struck at him from the side, throwing him off balance. He stumbled back, surprised at the attack. Anniya circled him, daring him to strike. Sure enough, He lifted his sword to strike back, but Anniya had expected that. She parried and ducked, striking his sword back. The dark haired boy's eyes narrowed, and he began swinging madly. The scene was so comical Anniya almost laughed. She blocked his swing and dodged to the right. The boy lunged, the tip of his sword missing Anniya by a centimeter. 

A strike came in a blur. Anniya felt her eye's widened, and desperately tried to keep the sword from slicing her face, gritting her teeth as she pushed upward. It was no use, and Anniya found herself becoming closer to the ground. The boy laughed, and said something to his friends.

" What did I tell you? This girl can't fight." 

Anniya heard only that remark, but it was enough. She couldn't fight. She couldn't read or write Kyrrian, barely speak it. She wasn't a Lady. She wasn't a peasant. She wasn't what any normal female should be. But by God, if there was one thing she had thrown her heart into, it was the fight. 

With a burst of energy, Anniya threw the sword off of her. Everyone else stared as Anniya's wrist twisted back and forth, forcing the boy back more and more. He had finally reached the perimeter of the courtyard, no where to turn. With one last desperate attempt, he flung insults.

" Demon! Witch! Enchantress! Little blood sucking bastard!" 

Anniya gritted her teeth, and thrust at his neck. She flung every curse and insult she had learned from West and John, as well as a few of her own. 

" Back at you, you bloody, stupid, demented, spoiled, nasty, blood sucking little--."

" Anniya! What in gods name are you doing?" 

Surprised, she turned around. The three masters, Sir Alan included raced toward her. 

" Anniya, might you kindly remove your sword from Godfrey's neck?," Sir Alan asked her.

Anniya abruptly dropped the blade.

" Come with me, please." 

Anniya held her breath. Here's where she got it. 

When they were a safe distance away, Sir Alan turned to her.

" Anniya of Kyrria, I am absolutely appalled," he told her. Anniya nodded, and began explaining.

" Sir, it honestly was not my fault. He insulted my pride and myself, and challenged me, so-."

She was cut off by laughter.

" Dear girl, I'm not reprimanding you for what you did, although I bloody should, considering you could of killed Godfrey. Sir Amiens, another one of my fellow masters, has been training Godfrey for ten bloody long years. Godfrey is one of his top students, with complete promise; a future knight, if he shapes his chivalry up. You beating Godfrey is nothing less then absolutely phenomenal. It's almost magical. I must ask you, how did you do it?"

Anniya shrugged, wiping her brow. The room was unusually hot. 

" He made me mad. I didn't really think." 

Alan shook his head.

" Try and think. Because after all I have seen in this past month Anniya, it's becoming apparent that you aren't only just a natural with a remarkable talent. I believe it's more of a magical ability."

Anniya stared at him before laughing herself. 

" Sir Alan, that would be in your dreams. And I have never in my life heard of a magic involving swords. And I have no fairy blood in me. At all." 

Sir Alan peered at her curiously.

" Perhaps it is not fairy blood. But indeed, Anniya of Kyrria, there is something magical brewing in you. For no normal human being can possibly be that talented with a sword. Are either of your parents friends of the fairies?"

" My parents are dead," Anniya said flatly. Sir Alan was taken back.

" My apologies, milady. I won't trouble you anymore, but please-- think. Magical abilities can come in handy. Just be aware of them, at least."

" Maybe I don't want magical abilities. And besides, it was all plain luck." 

Sir Alan shook his head.

" Plain luck does not beat a ten year student in a month's practice. Anniya, you are indeed blessed, whether you wish to believe it or not. Think back-- what were your parents like?"

Anniya felt slightly annoyed- she couldn't really remember what they were like. That's only because you tried to shove every memory you had of them out of your mind, a little voice chimed in her head. 

" I don't remember anything," Anniya said stubbornly.

That's not true. You remember everything from that day, the color of your dress, the weather, the location, the people. You remember everything- you just don't remember. You remember how you were near a brook, and.........., the little voice chimed. 

Anniya turned away, trying to block the voice out. 

" I don't remember anything-- at all!," she said a little more forcefully. Sir Alan gave her a concerned look.

" Anniya, are you all right......?" 

His voice faded out, replaced by chanting voices in her mind. 

" Anniya! Anniya darling! We have to get a move on it! We only have a day left before we reach the forest!," a clear, beautiful woman's voice called out. 

" Here I am, mother!," Anniya heard herself call out. She felt her blonde hair warm from the sunlight. She heard more voices, then her own voice again.

" But I want to play more, Father!" 

" Perhaps while your mother is gathering water, you may play hide and go seek with her," Anniya heard her Father say, his voice close now. She clenched her fist, trying to make the voices disappear. But Anniya had tried to hide them for too long. They had surfaced, and they wouldn't leave until they had put a testimony to what had happened. 

" I'll tell you what. You can wear my necklace, and if I get lost, I know I'll be able to find you, alright?," her mother told her. Anniya twisted, knowing what would happen next. 

" We need a Healer! Someone get a doctor, She's hallucinating! It's the fever!," Anniya heard someone call faraway. 

There were more voices. She was in the tree. Then it came. The smell of blood, the smoke, the slaughtering. The accumulated memories flashed in front of her eyes-- the ponies running away- the first elf's neck being broken- the slaughtering, the bloodshed, the awful, horrible bloodshed--the burning of all that remained of her life-- no food, no water, no shelter- more memories flashed, becoming more and more recent. She saw Hattie begging her to run back for her change purse, John being hit by the arrow, West being knocked out and taken away by soldiers- Soon everything was a blur, and Anniya was caught in the midst of it. the only thing she could make out anymore was the evil gleam in the eyes of the Ogres, and their honey slick words, trying to tempt her into being eaten alive. But worst of all, she saw everyone crying out to her for help. Reaching and grabbing for her, only to be pulled back by Ogres. But their voices rang loud in Anniya's ears. She clamped her hands over her ears, trying desperately to shut them out.

" Stop it, Stop it, Stop it! There was nothing I could do! There was nothing I could do! I didn't know what to do! It's not my fault, it's not my fault! Stop it!," Anniya shrieked, willing the scene away. 

Over the voices, Anniya heard one that sounded distant and faraway at the same time. 

" She has a fever of 103 degrees, and delirious. I don't think she'll make it through the night," the voice said. Were they talking about her, Anniya wondered. She suddenly caught a glimpse of a dark creature swooping down toward her. With relief, she was it was only Gleex. But there was something wrong with Gleex. His eyes had a blood thirsty gleam, and he wasn't friendly at all. Anniya grabbed for her necklace, certain that all would be fine if she could show Gleex her necklace. Fumbling for it, Anniya realized with horror that her necklace wasn't there. When she looked up, Gleex suddenly burst into flames. 

Anniya was burning, burning with the remains of her parents, and the elves. Burning into ashes, reduced to smoke. She opened her mouth to scream for West, for Robert, for Char- no sound came out. The flames licked her skin- the Ogres circled her, closing in, smiling, coming closer and closer, their fangs gleaming..........

Anniya's eye's flew open, and she jerked up. Sir Alan, some healers, and a few other people she didn't recognize surrounded her. She was in a room, in a bed. 

" You've been asleep for three days, hallucinating. You're fever looked near fatal, so rest up. It's still strong, but now that you've woken up, there is a chance that you might...."

The Healer was cut off by Anniya leaping out of bed. She could feel the heat now, but she ignored it. She had to get out of here. 

" Where is she going! She's going to kill herself!," the healer shouted. 

" Anniya, get back!" 

She whirled around.

" Where is my necklace?" 

Sir Alan shook his head. 

" It was choking you, you were clutching it so hard. I gave it to Sir Paulus for safekeeping, and- Anniya, Stop! Grab her, she's going to kill herself!" 

But Anniya had already darted down the halls, running like the wind. Everything was becoming a blur again- the voices were returning- but Anniya was able to push them away. 

She found Sir Paulus in the Courtyard. Stumbling, Anniya grabbed his hand. 

" Give me my necklace," she demanded hoarsely, not speaking for three days. Sir Paulus was startled, and Anniya ended up reaching into his pocket and taking it herself. She heard more voices-- ones chasing her from behind, and ones chasing her in her head. 

Anniya sped ahead, racing into the streets and out of the Courtyard. 

She didn't know how much time had passed- maybe it was hours, maybe it was minutes. All that Anniya knew that she felt like she was on fire, and that she had to find West and John before it was too late. With that, she collapsed into a heap on the street. 

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**** Gah!!!! This one took me awhile to write---- I had to figure out how to get Anniya back on her own feet again. I also wanna thank everyone that's reviewed so far-- you guys are the greatest! If you have any suggestions, don't hesitate to-ah- suggest them. 

I'm also going to try and make my chapters longer, around the length of this one. Nothing else to say for now, but keep on reviewing!**** 

  
  


~*~* Kira, A.K.A. Faerie gurl*~*~ 


	15. Chapter 14

  
  


Anniya 15

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" Ah, thank the gods. You're awake." 

An Olive skinned face framed by wild, dark hair peered at Anniya. Anniya jumped up, scrambling away. The dark haired girl laughed, and stepped back. Anniya was too tired to glare at her. All this sickness-- she never got sick. The girl's amused expression only annoyed Anniya more. 

" You have a hell of a fever. I'd sit back down if I were you. You've been on all sorts of crazed medication-- it's no wonder you bolted into the streets. Healers- think they know everything,"

the girl shook her head in disgust, shaking her head. Anniya noticed that two large gold hoop earrings hung from them, which made her realize who she was with.

A gypsy. 

Anniya felt her eyes widen, and immediately all the horror stories she had ever heard about gypsies raced to her mind. They robbed the poor and murdered the rich. They used their enemy's skin as a winter blanket. They slaughtered their own children. They were nothing but prostitutes, murderers, and rapists. And Anniya was caught at the mercy of one. 

The dark haired girl must of seen the realization in Anniya's face. 

" Oh honestly, do you really think because I'm a gypsy that I'm some sort of blood thirsty mongrel? Don't try to deny it, because it's pretty obvious in your face. All those stories the Count has spread about us are lies. Pure lies," the girl spat. Her blue-green eyes flashed angrily, but relaxed.

" Forgive me. I tend to associate everyone with the blood sucking bastard of greater Kyrria, Count Frederick himself. Horrible man."

Anniya found herself laughing. The gypsy girl laughed too.

" Esperanza."

" Anniya." 

For the first time, Anniya glanced at her surroundings. The rat that scurried past her feet gave her a good clue. Despite the colorful sheets hung in attempt to make the gloomy place brighter or to provide shelter against the wind, the alley was still cold and gloomy. A pile of blankets were being used as a bed, along with a few more blankets as sheets. A few rusted pots hung above her head, and Anniya spotted what looked like the remains of a fire. Despite her blankets, the alley was freezing, with a hard cold dirt floor. 

" Where am I?" 

" Well, right now were in my house, also known as an alley. Right down there is the market place." 

" How did I get here?" 

" I saw you collapse. I usually don't do this kinda thing; I barely have enough food for myself, but I don't know-- I saw you faint, and I just thought, I should help her. Do something good and honest for once. So I dragged you back here, bought some medicine, and took a few nights off to see if you'd get better. You had the fever, you know."

" Thank you."

Esperanza waved her hand.

" Think nothing of it. Couldn't leave you to rot on the street. Want a piece?" 

The gypsy held out a piece of stale bread. Anniya gladly accepted it, hungry. Finishing it in a few bites, she casually asked another question.

" Do you live on your own?" 

Esperanza nodded, rummaging through a bag. Anniya caught her breath when she looked at the gypsy's arm. On Esperanza's right arm, there were long, jagged scars ranging from her elbow to her wrist.

" Yes, I do live on my own. When I was a baby, my parent's were slaughtered, my brothers were put in the torture chamber, and my sister was raped and then killed. By Count Frederick, all of this was done." 

Anniya was silent for a moment.

" I'm sorry."

" Don't say your sorry. It's not your fault their dead, and it's not your fault you asked."

Something about this Count Frederick had sparked Anniya's attention though, and she carefully asked another question.

" Who exactly is Count Frederick?"

Esperanza gave her a look of surprise, but spoke.

" Everyone knows who Count Frederick is! King Jerrold's right hand advisor, been that ever since the King was just a Prince. He's in his fifties, and has these silver eyes and-."

" Coal black hair with a touch of gray; this mustache that looks like a dead rat suspended in midair; tall, and a pointy nose?," Anniya guessed, describing the exact man that had called her a prostitute and taken West away and hurt John. 

" That's him alright." Esperanza shook her head in disgust. Anniya jumped up, excited now.

" Where does he live?" 

Esperanza looked a little curious now.

" In the palace, I would suppose. Why do you ask?"

" Just interested. Thank you for everything, but I really should be on my way now."

Esperanza nodded, and Anniya strolled out of the alley, on her way to Ayorthora. 

Little did she know it would not be the last time she would see Esperanza.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Anniya found that the way to Ayorthora was not an easy route going on foot. Cold, wet, and hungry, she had lost Gleex, and could hardly find anywhere to sleep. She might not have made it if a Giant Farm hadn't let her stay the night, and they loaded her with enough food to last for a week or more. Amazingly, she managed to stay out of trouble as well. Almost.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was well into the night when Anniya heard Diobla. Her head turned sharply, almost certain it was the horse. She had sold him to but herself a few decent pieces of cloth, but now wished fervently that she had kept him. Tied to a post outside a tavern 9 miles from Ayorthora's capital, it was almost a miracle Anniya had seen him. She herself had never expected to see West's beloved stallion again. 

But there was nothing Anniya could do about it now. She wished West or John were there, so that they might steal Diobla and manage to get away before alarm was caught. The cold night blew again, causing Anniya's snow blonde hair to ripple in the breeze. Then an idea struck her. Anniya was trained with a sword; an unusually scary talent or not, she could handle one. She had braved River rapids with Robert; managed to outrun West; tame a dragon( Anniya wasn't sure were Gleex was at that moment either); survived Ogres; made it through the Fever and a coma. After all of that, why couldn't Anniya just steal a bloody horse? 

Determination raced through Anniya's veins, and she held her head high as she quietly walked over to Diobla. The horse seemed to remember her, and whinnied with delight. Anniya quickly put her hand on the horse, trying to quiet it. Diobla's neighing caused the other horses to shift and whinny as well, thinking someone was there to feed them. She heard someone shuffling towards her. Frantic, Anniya leaped onto Diobla, and kicked as hard as she could. Too late Anniya discovered that Diobla had no saddle on. The great horse bucked once, then reared. Anniya hung on for her life.

" Hey! You there! Off the horse!"

" Sorry," Anniya told the man cheerfully, and with one final buck, Diobla shot past the man. 

Laughing, she patted the horse's mane.

" I don't know why West makes such a big deal about how dangerous horse thief is. Look at how easy this was! I get on you, ride away, and not so much as an arrow to stop me."

She had barely gotten the words out of her mouth before the first arrow struck her shoulder.

Surprised, Anniya let out a cry of pain, gripping the arrow with one hand. Another one was shot, this one missing her. What the bloody-- Anniya looked behind her. Sure enough, several men riding hard were after her, shooting in motion. 

While Anniya knew she should of been frightened to death, as any normal female would of been, she was not. If anything, she was annoyed.

" You want a chase? Come and get me!," Anniya yelled, and kicked Diobla. The great horse tossed it's mane back, and surged into an all out gallop. She vaguely remembered West telling her that Diobla was one of the best horses bred in Kyrria, and would of cost a King's ransom if he had not stolen the horse. 

The men riding behind her sped up as well, shooting more arrows. Diobla seemed to be moving in a distinct pattern, something Anniya suspected West had trained him to do. Turning around again to look at the distance growing between her and her pursuers, Anniya laughed. 

" That's right! Keep on chasing me!" 

They shouted something back at her, a variety of curses. Anniya rolled her eyes. Men. 

Turning back to see where she was going, Anniya's eyes widened. For what she had not seen as she was riding in the darkness was that she had directed Diobla toward a cliff. Frantically, Anniya yanked on the reins with all her strength. The great horse abruptly stopped, the dirt crumbling at it's feet. Anniya held her breath, not daring to move. They were directly on the edge of the cliff, and there was no telling how long the dirt would hold up before collapsing. She would have to lead Diobla away. Stepping down carefully, Anniya took Diobla's reins and took one step. The dirt crumbled, leaving Anniya falling down a cliff at least 100 feet above the ground. 

Anniya did not know why she had bothered to hang on to the reins instead of trying to stop herself from falling; but she had, and it saved her life. Taking slow breaths, Anniya tried to calm herself. It wasn't very easy, especially since she was dangling from reins, over a hundred feet in the air. Anniya peeked below her, and felt inclined to vomit. She had picked yet another river. What was it with her and rivers? Nothing but bad luck seemed to come when Anniya was near one. Squinting, Anniya saw some sharp points in the waters thrashing beneath her. 

A small ripping noise made Anniya snap her head back up. The reins were breaking. Diobla stomped the ground impatiently, wondering what his mistress was attempting to do. Anniya held her breath, scared to breathe if it might cause the reins to break. Another small rip. The second noise caused Anniya to leap into action. 

Clenching her teeth, she tried to pull herself up. The breeze came by, causing her to lose her concentration and fall back down, dangling in the wind. Taking a few more deep breaths, Anniya began to pull herself up. She was close. Getting closer. In a moment, Anniya would be able to grab onto the grass and get herself back onto ground. 

That was when the first end of the rein snapped. In a second, Anniya dropped two feet, hanging on with one hand, a hundred feet above sharp, jagged rocks. A small scream escaped her lips from surprise. 

" Did you hear something?" 

A voice. A human voice. A voice that hopefully owned a rope, and would be able to get her out of here in a few moments. 

" And what's that horse doing over there? Your majesty, come take a look at this." 

Anniya found her voice. Bandits or not, she needed help. The other rein creaked.

" Over here!," she shouted frantically. 

" It's a bloody girl!," someone shouted, and within a few moments, footsteps were heard coming toward the horse. 

A man with curly black hair, with the uniform of an Ayothorian soldier, peered over the edge of the cliff. 

" Oh, good Queen of Ayorthora!," the man exclaimed. He stared at her for a moment.

" What are you bloody waiting for? The reins are about to break! Get me on the ground!," Anniya snapped, no mood to deal with morons. 

" Right away milady. Don't move."

" Where would I move?" Anniya snapped back, but did as he bid her. She heard a mixture of men's voices overhead, and Diobla angrily stamped, tired of waiting. The great horse began to fidget, and the ground threatened to give in. 

" Hold the horse!," someone shouted, and Diobla soon stopped. Anniya bit her lip, for there was no telling how long Diobla would obey this person.

Another face appeared, but this one was not from the dark haired Ayothorian soldier. This face had blue gray eyes, a straight nose, and the golden hair that he shared with his cousin. Robert's face changed as he recognized exactly who the girl was. 

" Anniya? What in god's name are you doing here? How did you get here?" 

" Never mind that! How do I get out of here! Robert, I am hanging off a bloody cliff! I don't need you arguing with me. Now, get me on ground again! Men!" 

If Robert realized Anniya was speaking Ayorthorian, he took no notice of it. 

" All these Kyrrian lass's strive for independence," Anniya heard someone mutter. Before anyone could say anything else, the rein creaked, slowly breaking. 

" The rope, throw down the damn rope!," Robert shouted. 

The rope was released, falling down a foot away from Anniya. 

" Try and swing for it," the dark haired man encouraged. Anniya nodded, and stretched out her hand for the rope. It was a few inches out of her reach. 

" Reach for it! Try and swing your body weight!" 

" I can't! It'll break if I try!" Anniya shouted back. 

" Try and get as far to it as you can. I'll grab your hand!," Robert shouted back over the coming wind. His eyes met her's briefly, and Anniya knew she could trust him. 

" One." 

The wind picked up.

" Two." 

Diobla was growing restless, ready to rear. The breeze was causing Anniya to swing back and forth. 

" Three."

As Anniya said the word and swung herself over, the reins snapped, Diobla free of his burden at last. Anniya screamed as she began to fall. Robert caught her hand, barely. Anniya watched as the reins fell into the crashing river below. Robert pulled her back up onto the land, sweating as well as she was. The Ayorthorian men cheered, relieved that Anniya hadn't fallen. Anniya weakly smiled as well, and turned to Robert.

" You know, this is one of the few times I'm glad your mother didn't drown you as a baby," Anniya told him. 

Robert grinned, his blond-brown hair shining in the moonlight.

" And how are you, Anniya?" 

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	16. Chapter 15

  
  


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" Keep a close watch on your purse. There are some in here that would rob their mother's blind," Robert told her as they turned down a certain street.

" Good advice, apart from the fact I have no money," Anniya told him cheerfully, looking around at all the sights. She had told Robert about Hattie's betrayal-- but had left out West and sword fighting lessons. Anniya knew she'd have to bring it up sometime; she just didn't know how to word it to Robert that she was in love with his cousin. Training with master swordsmen didn't seem to fit in either. Robert's news for her wasn't particularly happy either; his fiancé had been killed in a bandit raid, slaughtered along with the rest of her servants.

Robert told her that they would be at the Ayorthorian Palace soon; they were going the back way, through the Guilin Bleu, the legendary market square full of contests and Duels. It was said that the best horses in the world were found there.

" I am so sorry!," a girl cried as she bumped into Robert, collapsing. Anniya would of ignored her except for the girl's voice. She sharply looked at exactly who had bumped into Robert, and gasped.

" Esperanza?," Anniya asked, amazed that she should see this girl again. A startled look came into Esperanza's blue-green eyes as well, shocked. Before she could say anything else, the girl got up and ran. 

" Anniya?" Robert began, just before Anniya kicked Diobla and shot off after the girl. The Captain waved his arms wildly, and turned to Robert. 

" Your Highness, tell her that she cannot run off into the streets of the Guilin Bleu!," the man demanded. Robert gave him an apologetic grin. 

" You don't exactly tell Anniya what she may and may not do." 

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Getting off Diobla after seeing Esperanza disappear into a tavern, Anniya ran in after her. Immediately she was greeted with the smell of smoke and booze, in addition to being loud and noisy. Filled with hookers, drunks, murderers, thieves and more creatures of the underworld, it was hard to find Esperanza. 

" Hey there, sweet thing," a low voice rasped, grabbing Anniya by her waist. The smell of hard liquor was strong. 

" I'm not a thing, and trust me, I'm not sweet," Anniya told the drunk with distaste, and rammed her elbow into his stomach. He let go, howling in pain. 

" Thank you very much," Anniya said sarcastically, and pushed her way past him. She spotted the dark haired gypsy sitting at a table not far from where she stood. Marching over, she yanked on Esperanza's shoulder. The girl whirled around, getting ready to snap something Anniya could tell. Her blue-green eyes widened, obviously not expecting Anniya. 

" Noble women don't come down here," Esperanza told Anniya, amazed. 

" What makes you think I'm a Noble Woman?" 

Esperanza laughed, and motioned to the men and women surrounding her. 

" Ladies and Lords, this is Anniya." 

Before Anniya could sit down, every single person at the table began to talk at once excitedly, their words blurring together. 

" West's Anniya?"

" The girl with the documents?"

" Why are you in Ayorthora?"

" All of Kyrria is searching for you!" 

With a wave of her hand, Esperanza managed to silence most of them.

" I'll I guess I should explain it to you. Could I talk to you for a moment alone, please?" 

Anniya nodded her head, and Esperanza led her off to the side. Taking a deep breath, she began. 

" For starters, I want you to realize that gypsies don't have a lot of choices these days. Last time you saw me, I wasn't exactly---- as I am now. Ok, lets put it this way. I was a prostitute. And when I was with someone one night, he mentioned you. The man was half drunk at the time, and probably would of told me just about anything. Those two famous bandits that were caught recently-- West and John of something, I don't remember. But the man told me that the Count was looking for a blonde girl, who is apparently carrying something that the Count doesn't want to get out. The West fellow said that he gave it to a girl with snow blonde hair, and refuses to say more. The information must be powerful though, for the man said that the Count would be exiled if it were brought to the King. No one knows what it says though, apparently. Now I may have been living on the streets all my life, working as a prostitute, but I'm not dumb. I can put two and two together. You are the only girl with snow blonde hair that I have ever seen in my life, and the questions about the Count aroused my suspicion. I told some local thieves I knew by acquaintance, and they immediately asked me if the girl's name was Anniya. I don't know where you have been, but all of Kyrria is searching for you, the Nobles for you because the Count has accused you of working with the West and John, and the commoners are searching for you for the reward. All of the underworld is searching for you so we can get the West fellow out of the dungeon. No one knows why the Count really wants you, but all that is known is that he isn't going to kill them until he finds you."

Anniya tried to absorb all of this at once. She was carrying this information that could ruin a man and change an entire Kingdom's fate; West and John were still alive; She was wanted in all of Kyrria, and didn't even know it. It was getting to be too much. 

" He must of just said that to lead them off---- West never gave me anything. Not one thing except for the..........." Anniya cut off, realizing that West had indeed given her something. The parchment to give to Robert. Esperanza nodded, prodding for the answer. 

" We can't be talking about the same thing. West wouldn't trust me with that." 

Esperanza grinned, pearly white teeth showing. 

" You'd be surprised. Do you have it with you?" 

Anniya nodded, and just as she was about to take it out of her pocket, she stopped.

" How do I know I can trust you?" 

Esperanza frowned.

" I don't know how you can trust me. I could be lying when I say that Count Frederick killed my family. Maybe I got these;" the gypsy pulled up her right sleeve, revealing the long jagged scars,

" From an accident. Maybe I chose to have this done;" Esperanza pulled down her shoulder sleeve to reveal a tatoo of a Hawk, black and silver. Anniya recognized it as an Emblem for a Noble, and she could guess whose it was. 

" But either way, it comes down to if you trust me or not. Because whether or not you believe me, you are in danger right now. I'm surprised you made it this far without being caught. Do you trust me?" 

Anniya stared at the gypsy girl, her eyes flashing a mixture of things- trust-hope-anger. She looked at Esperanza's scars again. At that moment, she knew that it couldn't of been an accident. The slash marks were long and intended, and apparently had cut deep. Meeting the girl's eyes, Anniya nodded her head.

" I trust you." 

The gypsy nodded, and took Anniya's arm. 

" There's no time to waste then. We have to--."

Esperanza never got a chance to finish her sentence before the glass shattered, bursting into flames. Before Anniya could hardly think, she threw herself down, along with Esperanza. An black tipped arrow shot beside her, and she heard voices. Poison arrows. What was happening? Anniya had been told she was in danger, but this soon? 

" What's happening?," Anniya whispered to Esperanza. People were screaming now, and Anniya could see men looking at bodies and people before killing them. 

" I think I know! Follow me!" 

Yanking Anniya up, Esperanza grabbed the girl's hand and raced to the kitchen. Smoke was making it hard to see and breathe, and both girls coughed as they tried to make their way there. An arrow shot passed them. 

As they reached the kitchen exit, Esperanza threw herself on it with all her might. It held. 

" Kill the gypsy. Hold the blonde. She might be what he's looking for," a voice uttered. 

Esperanza nudged Anniya. 

" I have a knack with hitting things. Grab him when he's down."

In one swift motion, Esperanza gathered all the speed she had in her, and soared through the air, her right foot slamming into the first man's stomach. He dropped to the ground, his sword with him. Anniya snatched it up, and cut down the next person that moved toward her. She didn't have the time to realize that she had killed man. Out of the five left, three of them went for Anniya. Circling her, they snickered on what they were going to do to Anniya in a moment or so. Finally, she sighed and folded her arms.

" There's one of me and three big bad men around me. What ever shall I do?" 

Anniya might of lost the fight and gone to the Count if not for her temper, and this story would end in an entirely different way. We have these sometimes stupid little creatures called men though that can be helpful now and then. And just at that moment, one of them snickered a comment.

" You can't do anything! Your nothing but a delicate little sorceress whore!" 

Anniya's eyes flashed; in an almost unreal motion the man's stomach was slashed twice. He dropped to the ground. She whirled to face the other men, holding her sword in a threatening position. 

They stared at her for a full two seconds before dropping their swords and running in the opposite direction. Shrugging at Esperanza's quizzical look, she picked up their swords and began walking out the door. Esperanza ran along side her, staring at Anniya the entire time. 

" What in the heck did you just do?," the gypsy demanded.

Anniya shrugged her shoulders. 

" I have a knack with fencing. You've seen people fence before."

" Not that damn fast. It's like that old Legend-- no, actually I think it was a prophecy. You might've been it------." Esperanza stared at Anniya for a moment, not finishing her sentence. 

" No, the prophecy states that the girl would have an Emperor Dragon as Emerald as her eyes." 

Anniya halted and turned to Esperanza. 

" What did you say?" 

The gypsy gave her another quizzical look, but continued. 

" There is a prophecy. There would come a day when danger would come Kyrria, Ayorthora, Kellia, and Ireia. There will be no one to stop it but a girl with Emerald eyes as green as a goddesses, who will be of Magic blood and of two different races. She will be able to control one of the last of the Emperor Dragons......with scales as green as the girl's eyes." 


	17. Chapter 16

Anniya 17

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A hired man stumbled through the darkness, rain blinding him. He groped for a door, and found one at last. Knocking hard on it, the door swung open to reveal several other men dressed in fine clothes, as well as a few other hired hands. 

" You're late," the first cold voice uttered.

" The weather was bad! The damn rain twas blindin! It ain't my fault!," the hired man began to protest. He was silenced with a wave of a hand. One of the men placed a capsule with white powder in the hired man's hand, a small dagger in the other. 

" Slit one of the girl's veins and inject the powder. She'll go through several violent spasms, and possibly begin vomiting stomach muscle, but within several hours she should be dead. Take the documents, and bring it to me so I may give it to the Count."

" What if the powder go's wrong? What if dat girl manages to outlast it?"

The man gave the hiree a cruel smile. 

" No one survives Kadai Powder. Dragon saliva will need to be mixed in with it. The only way she could survive it was if-," the man was cut off by the hiree. 

" Where do I get Dragon saliva from? It ain't just lying around," the hired man snapped. The man smiled.

" Follow me. Guards! Get the arrows ready!" 

Before the hired man saw it, he heard it. A piercing shriek shot through the air, a wail. 

" Gleexadldfj!!! achdgleex!!!," the creature wailed. Stepping in the light, the hired man could now see the dragon trapped inside a iron cage, so small that he could only move a few steps backward and nothing to the side. It's wings were ripped, and folded uncomfortably in an awkward position. The man could see now that it was only a baby---- an Emperor Dragon. He was a bit surprised- Emperor Dragons were almost extinct, but he wouldn't expect less from the Count. As the men moved closer with arrows, It wailed in terror. 

" How do you get it's saliva without burning you?," the hiree asked an important looking man curiously. The man looked at the hiree with obvious annoyance, but answered his question.

" We drug it by dipping swords in a sleeping drug, then thrust them into the dragon. You might want to step out of the room- it screams like the sky is falling to earth." 

The hiree followed the man out of the room, but before he did, he took one last glimpse at the baby dragon. It had Emerald eyes.

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Anniya's heart skipped a couple of beats. It was a coincidence, and it was coming from Esperanza. It was a little folk tale the gypsies probably made up, and who wouldn't throw in a good dragon? Besides, all those fairy stories have nothing but blonde girls in them. She opened her mouth to tell Esperanza that just as another flaming arrow shot past her. 

" There they are!," a shout came from behind them, horses neighing. 

" We have to get to the Palace!," Anniya shouted to Esperanza as they ran. 

" Are you crazy? These guys are from the palace!," Esperanza shouted back, ducking to the side, narrowly missing an arrow. 

" I have friends there! We'll be safe!" 

" We don't have the time! Swing!," Esperanza shouted back, running up a few boxes and swinging herself over a street stand. Anniya did the same, landing on her feet like a cat. Horses neighed, galloping only several feet behind them. Esperanza was the first one to be hit. The arrow struck her in hip, flames bursting. The gypsy gave a cry of pain and rolled to the ground, putting the flame out. She swore before Anniya yanked her up, narrowing missing another one. 

" Halt, or we'll kill you!," the man called out, aiming an arrow at them. The rest of the men behind him nodded, and the man, who was obviously their leader, had a smug expression on his face that was very tempting to slap. 

Glaring at them, Anniya drew herself to her full height and glared at the man. 

" Before I halt, who are you and why in Ayorthora's bloody name are you aiming that at me for?" 

Innocence did not work well with this man.

" You, girl, are being arrested for murder and thievery. You, gypsy, are arrested for the same. Both of you shall be tortured before being publicly hanged." 

The man smirked, as if Anniya's fate lay in his hands. Before she could protest further, several men moved forward with a rope. She realized what they were going to do too late. In a flash of a second, Anniya struck her foot out into one of the men's stomach, causing him to double over. Esperanza jabbed a punch as well, but the strategy did not last for long. Within a moment's time, 3 men held Anniya tightly as two others tied her up. 

" What are you doing?," an angry voice called out. An angry voice Anniya thankfully recognized. 

" Robert! Tell these idiots to get off me! Oh, Lovely meeting you again Char," Anniya chirped a cheerful greeting to Char, who looked quite confused. Robert and he sat on horses, along with many guards behind them. 

" Release them," Char began before the man sneered at the two Princes.

" And just who do you think you are to command me, one of the highest men in Kyrria? Piddling lords?"

The question was amusing, considering it's source. The man looked like he hadn't taken a bath in weeks, Anniya thought. 

" I am King Jerrold's son, and this is the Prince of Kellia. If you do not believe it, I will speak to my Father the moment I return." 

The man's face paled, and he dropped to his knees. 

" Your high nesses, I apologize for this misunderstanding-- my men got out of control, and I had no idea that these girls were being harmed. I assure you, we weren't going to harm them in the least bit-."

" Oh Robert, do you mind untying these ropes? Their cutting off my circulation, and Esperanza has several burns as well as an arrow buried in her back," Anniya said curtly, giving the Captain a smug grin of her own. Immediately several men cut free the two girls. Shaking off the ropes, Anniya stood up, as did Esperanza did. 

" Who sent you?," was the first thing she demanded. The man looked bewildered, and stumbled over the words.

" My Lady-- you are a criminal-- I was under the impression--.."

" Spit it out."

" I was hired by another man- who was perhaps hired by someone before him. he claimed her was a Baron, but I don't know for sure. I was earning good money, but I don't know any of it else. I swear." 

Char nodded, and signaled for the men to escort them out of the city. Soon the guards and the hired men were milling about. Robert turned and grabbed Anniya by the shoulders.

" Anniya, I know perfectly well that when you are determined to do something, there is no stopping you. But this I ask: next time you decide go running off, don't do it in the Guilin Bleu, and try to tell me where you're going, and-."

" Try to stay out of trouble," Anniya chimed with him. Robert stared at her, then laughed. 

" You are the most--," Robert began, searching for words.

" Mischievous? Interesting? Curious?," Anniya supplied. 

" All of those, I think. Except you forgot devilish." 

Anniya let out one of her tinkling laughs, and turned her head to the side for a moment. Robert took her face, and turned it towards his. With that, he leaned down and pressed his lips gently to hers. The shock of it was so abrupt that Anniya didn't even have time prevent him. The kiss ended, and her astonished Emerald eyes looked into Robert's. He grinned at her, and walked back over to Char. He looks exactly like West with the golden hair, Anniya thought dreamily against her will ( she never thought dreamily). West. Anniya stopped walking. What had she done? What on earth had she done? She was in love with West! She couldn't be kissing Robert and enjoying it! How had this happened? How had Anniya managed to fall in love with Robert and West; if it were not bad enough, they were cousins. What had she gotten herself into?

  
  


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" Milady, might I ask where you are going?," a royal maid timidly asked her. Anniya glanced up, surprised. Now what should I tell the maid, Anniya mused. The truth? That I'm about to go hang out with my friend who was formerly a prostitute and is working as a thief? That I'm about to venture in the Guilin Bleu, the place no respectable woman go's to, even with an escort? The woman would probably fall dead right then and there.

" Me? Oh I'm going to go- dancing. My foxtrot needs a bit of practice," Anniya told the maid, flashing her a smile. The maid shifted nervously, and it was all Anniya could keep from snapping at her. The woman's timid mien made her hard to talk to. 

" Milady- the outfit-- it is a bit revealing, is it not?" 

Anniya glanced down at the outfit. Her long silk blue skirt was ankle length, matching her silky blue tunic that had a bit of a low neck, but nothing slutty. Her Emerald necklace hung around her neck; her ears were bare, the only woman in the palace who's ears were. 

" It's not bad. I've seen women in this palace wear worse."

" Your hair- someone might mistake you for a----."

Anniya almost laughed, seeing the woman trying to struggle for a nice word for a prostitute. Flashing an innocent smile, Anniya replied in a voice that had a mischievous tone in it only to the careful observer.

" You mean like a whore?," Anniya said innocently, wondering if foul language would make the maid leave her alone. She'll probably faint, she thought wryly. The woman's face paled, and she began stuttering words. 

" Milady, you should not be saying such things! What the Prince would say......"

" If you mean Robert, he'd probably laugh. Do you mind leaving me alone?" 

" My Lady, I don't think you should be leaving palace grounds without an escort. I'll ring up Old Jeedens, and he might accompany my lady's thirst for dancing. He's a fabulous-."

" Thank you, but I already have an escort," Anniya lied, pinning up her hair. Smiling at the maid, she waltzed out of the room. The maid shook her head in wonder and disgust.

" Woman like her give the rest of us a bad name! Independent! As if she were a man!," the maid complained to herself, fluffing a pillow. She had a bad feeling about that woman. The girl didn't seem like a Noble. She looked like a swan disguising herself as a Centaur. Oh well. At least the girl was out of her hair, and had an escort. No sooner then the maid thought that did she here a whinnying outside the window. Glancing out, she saw the girl delicately leading a stallion out the gate. Without an escort, of course. Just as the maid was about to look away, she saw a figure following behind quietly. The maid smiled. So the girl wasn't completely untrustworthy after all. 

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As soon as Anniya was out of the Palace grounds, she got on Diobla and went into a full fledged gallop. She had managed to get out of there unnoticed. She had promised to meet Esperanza at a bonfire party in the Guilin Bleu. Pulling her cloak tightly around her, Anniya kicked Diobla once again. The great horse rode faster. Within no time, they had arrived. Twice she was stopped and told that this was the Guilin Bleu, as if to say " Woman in here are prostitutes and you don't look like one, so you must be lost" Anniya politely told them that this place was where she was heading. Brushing back a wisp of blonde hair, she tied Diobla down and walked into the crowd. Touching the dirty parchment in her pocket, Anniya pulled it out, feeling guilty as she touched it. West was in a dungeon-- she was supposed to be in love with West. And Anniya was, she was sure of it. but Robert-- she wasn't sure what he meant. Anniya had avoided him since that morning, not sure how to act around him. Robert was her friend- he had to be one of her best friends. Taking a deep breath, Anniya unfolded the parchment in her pocket, eager to see what it said. By the dim firelight, she could barely make it out. Three notes fell out. The first was written in some sort of code- Anniya frowned at it. The second was written in West's scrawl, addressed to Robert. Curious, Anniya looked closer at it. It was written in Kellian. Scowling, Anniya glanced at the third note. Written plainly on it was Anniya, something she could read. Scanning it, the letter read:

  
  


" Dear Anniya,

I know that to your disappointment that my letter to my cousin is written in Kellian- I don't trust you that much-- and don't scowl at me now ( Anniya was scowling). I will explain as quickly as I can. King Jerrold is in danger, as well as the Queen, Prince Char, and the Princess. I can only hope that you will not suddenly get any feminine ideas of privacy and not open this, for it needs to be rushed as soon as it can to Robert or someone who will be able to stop this. If I told you I did not know the Count, I lied. You might say that we are old enemies. Most likely by the time you read this, I will not be alive. Give the documents to my cousin or Prince Char, and they will know what to do with them. The Count is planning to assassinate the King and Queen. Once they are dead, he will overthrow Char and his sister. But more likely, he will push them the same way as the King and Queen. For after Princess Cecilia, the Count is heir, being the King's right hand advisor. And take care of yourself. I will hopefully see you again one day." 

Anniya stopped reading at that point. She had to get to Char! Racing to Diobla, she could hardly breathe. She had to get to Char! And in fact, Anniya might of. She might of, if that moment, a hand hadn't reached out and covered her mouth and yanked her into an alley. 

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*** Author's note*** another chapter done! I read reviews before I posted this chapter, and I just wanna say thanks to everyone that has reviewed and continued to review. But, I have bad news!!!! On Sunday, I leave for camp. I will probably not be able to post chapters for about 2 weeks. I'm going to post one more before I leave. But for the record, I am going to write in this story until I finish, so if you don't see an update in two weeks, you know why.

Next chapter will be posted probably-- tomorrow. But until then, please review!!! and thanks to all you guys who have been reviewing, again. 

Kira ~* Faerie_gurl*~ 


	18. Chapter 17

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** Author's note*** ( PLEASE READ!)

Since I've been away so long I kinda felt it was my job to write an author note thing, so here it is. When I was halfway home from camp, we stopped at a mall to eat dinner. My cousin and I wanted to look in book shop, and ( amazingly) Walden books wasn't closed yet. So I begin browsing the teen aisle, and I see a book called the two princesses of Bamarre. I picked up, and almost dropped it. the author was Gail Carson Levine. I nearly died on the spot. She had a new book out??? Since When??? How come I had no freaking idea of it???? well anyway, I just had to ramble it. 

**** one more thing. I do know I have this horrible little habit of leaving everyone hanging for two weeks and skipping off to camp. I'll try to get some chapters without horrible cliffhangers. And thanks for hanging in there. I know I've been an extra week late, but I was suffering severe writer's block. 

~ Faerie_gurl, AKA Kira~ 

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Anniya 18

  
  


" Hurry and get the powder in. We don't have much time to lose. Count's men be here any moment now. Blast you, why didn't we come earlier!," a grimy man growled, taking out his dagger. 3 burly men surrounded Anniya, pinning her down. Struggling, she gave a fierce kick that landed straight into the man's gut. He swore, and pierced a vein in her left wrist. Anniya gave a snort of laughter, and flung her arm out at one of the men.

" I hate to tell you, but people don't usually aim for the wrist when their trying to kill someone," she told him lightly and jammed her foot into another man's stomach, it coming free. 

" Hold her down you fools! She'll be down in a moment," the man shouted. A glimmer caught Anniya's eye, and she stopped resisting for a moment. The man took the cork out of a small capsule with fine, thin white powder. Anniya recognized it immediately as poison. 

" Get the parchments, and bring them to him as soon as possible. We're already late" he growled to the other men. One man reached his hand in Anniya's pocket and pulled it out. Anniya didn't know what it was, but the parchments were in Diobla's saddle bags. Brushing the dirt off himself, the man quickly walked away. Anniya was too concerned about her life to worry about the documents at that moment. 

The first man began emptying the capsule onto Anniya's open cut. The thin white powder stung, but was dissolving quickly. With the last ounce of strength she had left, she flung her hand up and sent the capsule flying out of the man's hand. It landed with a crash a few feet away, it's contents littering the alley floor. The man swore. But he also loosened his grip on her for a moment. 

Anniya seized her chance. In a fraction of a second, she snatched his dagger and held it to the man's throat. 

" If there is any justice in this world, you would be struck by lighting so I wouldn't have to touch your bloody throat. But since there seems to be a lack of it, I suppose I'll have to do it myself. First of all, what on earth were you trying to just do? And believe me, I will sink this into your throat if I have to," Anniya told him sweetly, pressing the blade down just a bit to put emphasis. The man gulped, but answered shakily. 

" Kadai powder---- I received orders to kill you." 

Anniya stared at him. Kadai powder was one of the most powerful poisons on earth. From what Anniya knew of it, the victim had horrible seizures and could vomit blood for fifteen minutes straight. There was no cure for it. And she had it in her. A sob escaped her, and tears were suddenly streaming down her face. One fact hung in her mind; she was going to die. Shaking her head, Anniya tried hard to control herself. But despite her will, her voice was shaking unsteadily. 

" So do you mean to tell me I have less then a day to live to a poison in which there is no cure?"

The man nodded, holding his breath as Anniya pressed the dagger harder. 

" Where did you get it from," she demanded. 

" My employer gave me the capsule. If I didn't kill you, he'd kill me." 

Anniya was silent for a moment, thinking. There was something about Kadai powder that was special, something she couldn't remember. 

" My Lady, may I beg for my life? I will have guilt enough to rival a dragon for what I have done tonight, but if you..."

" Dragon," Anniya whispered, knowing the special component. " Where on earth did your employer find a dragon? Their illegal, death penalty to anyone that anyone in the royal family hasn't issued a pardon!"

The man shrugged. " I just came in to get the powder and my 'ployer told me to hang on for a moment, cause they hadn't gotten the saliva added yet. So I watched them extract the saliva out of this big Emerald dragon, just about as green as those eyes of yours," the man told her, loosening up a bit, more confident that Anniya wasn't going to kill him. " Come to think of it, I think it might of been a-."

" Emperor dragon," Anniya said, finishing the sentence rather then guessing. Gleex. It had to be. 

" Where on the bloody earth did they get him," Anniya demanded, a high, tinny note in her voice that warned Robert, West, or John to get away. But this man was not used to Anniya's volatile temper, and went on, hardly noticing.

" A babe, I think. Thrust several swords in it, and it wailed like a banshee. Wings are all folded. Ugly little beast if you ask me," the man chuckled, making his mistake at that moment. Anniya's eyes flashed.

" You horrible, rotten, low down rotting skunk! I should run this dagger through your throat slowly and painfully! You are not going to tell me that my dragon is ugly, when you yourself look like a cow with rabies! If you gave an Ogre your outfit and paraded around town, no one would notice the difference for days!" 

With that, Anniya stood up and kicked him hard in the ribs, trying to refrain herself from killing him. A snap was heard. 

" Lass, I am telling you what has just happened! There is no reason to kick me," the man cried angrily, losing his patience. 

" No reason? You inject a killing poison in my veins, hurt my dragon, and you tell me there is no reason to hurt you, you horrible monster," Anniya demanded, having lost her patience a long time ago. " Where were you last when you saw the dragon?" 

The man scratched his head for a moment, trying to think. Anniya rolled her eyes, finding stupidity a bit of an unfair barrier when she had around seven hours to live. 

" Sir, I have roughly seven hours to live and you have wasted about one of them. Do you remember or not," Anniya said at last.

" It was out near the border, several days ago. Keeping the dragon in humongous cave, with this little cottage out near the front. Lot's of guards 'round it. Keep on having to drug it, ' specially after it set twenty men on fire. Fire goes forty feet. They keep it in a big cage." 

Anniya would of clapped her hands in delight that Gleex could do forty feet, if it were not under the same circumstances.

" How long ago was that?" 

"About two days ago." 

Two days ago. That meant they were still most likely there. 

" How long did it take you to get here," Anniya asked curiously. 

" Two days." 

Anniya would of fainted, if she was the fainting type of person( which she was obviously not.)

" I might as well kill myself now and do away with the miserable existence that is unfortunately my life," Anniya said, more to herself then to the man. Giving a noise of frustration, she spun away from the man and headed toward Diobla. Stopping, Anniya suddenly had a thought. Turning back for a moment, she asked the man curiously.

" By any chance, would you happen to know who West is?" 

The man nodded vigorously. 

" The fellow who was whipped the other day. The Count's mind work's in funny ways, bringing him up all the way to the border."

Anniya caught her breath at that moment. 

" West's at the border?" 

" Heard several of them talkin when I was waiting for the saliva. Pretty sure." 

Anniya didn't need to hear more. There was no time to waste. She dropped the knife with a clatter and raced out of the alley. Getting on Diobla, she was on the verge of riding when she stopped. What about Robert? Hesitating, she took out a quill and a spare piece of parchment. What should she write? Dear Robert, I am off on a mad quest that I must complete in 7 hours, assuming I don't die along the way? Dear Robert, I'm not sure if I love you or not, since I also have some mixed feelings for your cousin? Dear Robert, you are the friend I will always treasure, and I think I love you? She didn't know what to put. Every time she thought of West, she couldn't help but think of Robert. Robert and his smile. 

Anniya was utterly confused. Sighing, she at last just scribbled down her feelings and tucked them inside her pocket. Getting on Diobla, she rode hard. But not to the palace. 

**** Ok, I know that this is the most short, pitiful chapter in the history of mankind, but that's because I'm working on my next chapter, in which BIG things are going to happen, so forgive me. The next one will be up by tomorrow or the next day, so please don't abandon me this far.

  
  


***** I'm just rather curious. I already know who Anniya is going to choose in the end, but I would love to hear who everyone thinks it's going to be: Robert or West? Tell me when you review. Once again, thanks for hanging in there!

  
  
  
  



	19. Chapter 18

Anniya

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" Your highness. There is a man who wishes to see you. We caught him trying to sneak through the gates," a guard stated with an air of urgency.

Robert glanced up from the papers he was writing and studied the guard, aware of the dark circles under his eyes. It was past midnight. He himself had been preparing to lock the library and go down for the night. He was too tired to deal with anyone at that moment. 

" Tell him I will have to see him tomorrow," Robert replied, shuffling the papers into a stack as he rose. Most of them were blank. He had been too busy thinking about Anniya. He hadn't talked to her since he had kissed her spontaneously. She seemed to be holding something back, something he couldn't put his finger on. But she had kissed him back. 

"He's being held custody right now, and ordinarily we would of sent him straight to the cells for the night, but he seems to posses a rather curios letter addressed to you. He said it wasn't from him, it was some lass called Anna. A likely story, as the rest of the guards and I---," the guard began telling Robert apologetically, interrupting his thoughts. 

Robert had been half listening until he had heard the guard had mentioned the ' lass called Anna'. He interrupted the guards steady flow of words. 

" Repeat her name."

" Anna, I believe it was your majesty. Wait, no, not Anna, I'm afraid it wasn't It was something more like." 

" Anniya." Robert finished for him grimly. " Bring me the letter. I'll be on the fifth corridor." turning and striding down the corridor. There was a wild, wild chance. Quickening his pace, he reached the door to her room within a matter of minutes. He knocked several times, then opened it. The bed was empty, not to his surprise.

" Damn," Robert muttered under his breath. Searching wildly around the room, he looked for clues that might of told him where she went. Anniya was good, and as he predicted, there were none. 

" Your majesty, the letter," the guard said, out of breath, from running Robert suspected. He snatched the letter out of the guards hands and ripped it opened. Three parchments fell out. He picked up the first one. It was in Anniya's half legible scrawl. 

" Dear Robert,

I really don't have time to explain anything. If your reading this now, you're most likely angry at me, as I am many miles away from the Ayorthorian palace. I don't have enough time to explain the situation, but as soon as you read the other letters you will. 

Anniya"

  
  


Anniya. Why had she gone, and where? What more, was why had she not told him? Robert skipped on to the next parchment.

  
  


Robert--

I don't know if this will reach you, as I don't know if you have contact with Anniya. The Count is a fraud. An assassination plot against the royal family has been formulated. The proof is right there in the code they've been using, with the Count's stamp on it, giving full permission. As soon as you receive word that I've escaped, go to the ' inn'. I'll be there. If I don't make it, take care of Anniya for me. Tell her I love her. 

West 

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For the second time in her life, Anniya was truly scared. Scared for Kyrria, scared for it's people, scared for Gleex, scared for John, scared for West, and above all, scared for herself. There had only been one time she had ever truly been afraid, and that had been a long, long time ago. She had been riding hard for hours now, and she had felt nothing. She should of stayed in Ayorthora. Perhaps it was curable. Instead she was going to die on the road. Lovely. She could become a part of the pavement. Diobla would only go hard for so long.

Eventually, the dark horse did stop. But not because it was tired. 

" Oh go you stupid horse. You stupid devil creature," Anniya shouted at it, a hopeless cause.

The horse refused to move, and nickered nervously. 

" Above all horses, I see you. You, the horse who practically threw me off the cliff!" Anniya exclaimed again. The horses let out a soft neigh again, and stared into the forest. 

Anniya was too upset to pay heed to any warning the horse may have given her; all that she could think about was that she would die out on the cold, dark road. She slumped under a tree. Closing her eyes for a minute, she wished she could go back to the time before she had gone to Ayorthora, before West had been captured. 

Anniya realized she was falling asleep, and did nothing to prevent it. But as she fell asleep, though no one could tell her this, her necklace began faintly glowing, something it had done only once before.............

* Note to everyone. See chapter 10 or 11. Sometime when Anniya had the concussion*

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Author's note: I think I have some explaining to do. 

Especially since I have written in about 4 months. 

I don't feel like explaining why write now-it'll take to long. But I'm going to finish it. This chapter was pretty short, since this was originally the smaller part of a much bigger chapter that I decided to cut off so I could keep everyone hanging( ach, I know 4 months is a long time. I'll be surprised if anyone reviews this story, in fact. I'd like to hit me with something heavy, solid, and big if I were you guys. But here it is, I'm back to Anniya. Next chapter will be up by Friday night, as I' m doing some revision. I'm very pleased to say that West will( finally) reappear as well. 


	20. Chapter 19

Anniya 19

  
  


* author's note*

**** Hey everyone. To make up for the *pathetically short* chapter I wrote last time, I went ahead and posted the rest of the chapter, even though I wasn't going to post it till Friday. Next installment( I've started working on it already) will probably be up by Friday or Saturday. Depends. Thanks for reviewing. 

****I'd just like to say that I reread the chapter and did some research where Ella meets the elves and Slannen, and Gail Carson Levine really doesn't describe their village all that much. All the information she gave I stuck with, and added a bit of my own, as I did to Anniya. 

***** I'm really sorry about the cliff hanger. This is the last time, hopefully. 

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" Is she dead,"

" No, she's still breathing. Sleeping more likely, my genius friend." 

" Looks like nobility, and noble girls do not sleep under trees on the side of the road."

" Nobility or not, I say we search her pockets before she wakes up. The necklace is probably worth a great deal, I'd say. Let's hurry."

Anniya's eyelids fluttered. Slowly, two blurry objects came into focus. 

" Who are you! What are you doing!," she sputtered, sitting up quickly. The two men jumped back immediately. Anniya looked around confused. What was she even doing alive? She should of been dead hours ago. Why would the man lie about the Kadai powder? It made no sense. 

" Dead, eh, Yalf," the taller man said angrily, glaring at the smaller man. 

That was when Anniya took her thoughts off the Kadai powder and noticed that they weren't men. Men didn't have green skin tinged with green or mossy hair or bright green eyes. They were elves.

It was odd, not having seen one of her Father's people in such a long time. Anniya studied them, trying to pick out features she shared with them. She had always looked more human then Elf. The only physical characteristics that Anniya shared with them, in fact, was the mossy, curly hair, the slightly pointed ears, and the unbelievably bright emerald green eyes. 

The two elves continued talking to each other quickly in Elfin, unaware that it was Anniya's first language. They still thought she was human, apparently. 

" We have our staffs. She the size of a pixie. The Wind will probably knock her over before we do. I say we scare her off. Who knows, maybe she's one of the relatives of that Noble whose been causing so much trouble. Serve the spoiled little Kyzyl right," the smaller one called Yalf muttered, keep his eye on Anniya. 

Anniya glared at him right back. Kyzyl was the crude word for humans, like some called the elves greenies. A name she wasn't going to stand to be called. 

" Sir, I am not the one was about to go searching through a sleeping traveler's pockets, especially a women's. If merely sleeping under a tree earns me the name Kyzyl, then you must been a wattill akki," Anniya cut in sweetly in perfect Elfin. 

Again the two elves jumped. She didn't care. At the worse, what would they do? Hit her with their overgrown sticks? 

" You speak Elfin," the taller elf said suspiciously, gripping his staff. Anniya nodded. Standing up, she brushed the assorted leaves that had collected on her skirt off. Diobla stood nearby, and neighed impatiently. Anniya sent the horse a dirty look.

" You protect me from figments of your imagination, but as soon as a real threat comes, you ignore it. Great guarding you've been doing, Diobla," she complained to the horse. 

She took a step toward it, and instantly the two elves had their hands on their staffs in striking position. 

" Get that out of my face before you poke my eye out," Anniya told them, pushing them out of her way. " I mean you no harm. If anything, I would think that of you." 

But at this point, she wasn't really afraid. They weren't a threat; she could see that now. The autumn wind blew again, sending a chill up her spine. She wasn't dressed for the cold weather. 

The elves seemed to finally realize she wasn't a threat either. They both put down their staffs and let Anniya over to Diobla. 

" Girl, if you don't mind us telling, it isn't safe for you to be on the roads without a man, frankly. You're rather lucky you ran into Ravek and myself," the smaller elf told her.

Anniya drew her arms around her, trying to keep warm. 

" Why? Bandits?," she asked, a smile playing around her lips. She wouldn't mind if she ran into some, in fact. 

The two elves exchanged glances.

" True, but not so much as Ogre bands. That's why we were out scouting. A band was sighted here late last night. We thought we'd check it out. If their planning on raiding our village, then we'd best start preparing." 

Anniya's heart froze.

" Ogres?" 

The elf called Ravek nodded.

" Late last night. They've been raiding like mad, lately. With that Count's troops as well........" 

He fell silent with a dirty look and a nudge from his partner. They think I'm still all human. A noble human, Anniya thought. Of all the cursed luck! He had mentioned the Count. What would the Count want to do with Ogres? 

" I'm not what you think I am," she told them. The two elves exchanged glances again, something that the small blonde was beginning to find annoying. 

" Oh, I think we have a pretty good idea," the one called Yalf began. 

" I'm not all human. I'm part Elfin," Anniya told them, with a touch of pride in her voice. 

The two elves burst into laughter. 

" And I'm the King of Kyrria," Ravek exclaimed, the laugh obvious. " You'd best be on your way, lass. ' I'm part of Elfin'," he repeated, and the two began laughing again. 

Anniya's eyes darkened. 

" You don't believe me?"

The two elves found this even more amusing. It took several moments before they could regain their composure.

" Lass, we weren't born yesterday. I'd know in a heartbeat if you were elfin, and it's obvious to anyone that you're simply not."

That comment stung a bit. To think that she would never be welcome or recognized by the people whose language and culture she had grown up with, it saddened Anniya to think that she would never be accepted. She tried one last time. 

" Look at me! My father was one of you! Elfin was my first tongue! Look at my eyes!" 

The two men quit laughing for a moment to study her. They did more then study, Anniya felt for sure. It seemed as if they were analyzing her soul. She was sure that they knew every fault and crime she had ever committed. 

Ravek was the first one to break into a smile. 

" You have Elfin eyes." 

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A thunderstorm had slowly been sneaking up behind them, Anniya had noticed. The three had walked in silence, on the look out for Ogres. That had explained why Diobla had refused to go in the woods at least, she thought, looking at the dark beast. He wasn't completely worthless after all. 

But that wasn't all that was on Anniya's mind. What she wanted to know was why she was still here. She had been told she had less then a day to live. That day was long past, so obviously the man had been lying. But why would he lie with his life on the line? If it was deadly, he would of been more inclined to tell her the poison was perfectly curable, and all that she had to do was go to the local healer and she'd be fine. 

" We are almost at the village, er.....," Yalf said, suddenly realizing he had never asked for Anniya's name. She grinned. 

" Anniya. Just Anniya." 

Ravek smiled as well. " ' emerald queen', it means in our language. Quite unusual to find that name in this time. It is a good name. One of our legends had a similar name"

He paused for a minute, looking behind him. There was nothing but the wind from the coming storm rustling the trees. Then he turned back to Anniya. 

" Perhaps you will grow into your name. Our people have a tendency of doing that," Ravek told her, and began walking again. 

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Anniya had grown up on her own. She had lived with an Elfin family until she was old enough to survive on her own. She scarcely remembered what a settlement looked like. 

When it came into view though, Anniya remembered. Elfin settlements tended to stay permanent for centuries. Oaks that were hundreds of years old encircled the entire village. Dense, thick, overgrowth hid anything that might be beyond the trees.

At first, everyone had been a bit suspicious of her. But gradually, they had opened up and accepted her. But Anniya couldn't help but wonder what this settlement had against humans so much. She hadn't forgotten the comment that had slipped out of Ravek's mouth earlier about the Count. 

Shortly after she had arrived, dinner was served. Anniya was seated with Ravek and Yalf, as they were the only ones she knew well. But to her relief, most had accepted the fact that she was one of them, and therefore an honored guest. 

The dinner topic particularly sparked her interest. 

" Have you always had this efficient system with dealing with Ogres," she asked Yalf curiously. 

He shook his head.

" They've become more frequent lately, more violent. We can't afford to take chances. It almost seems as if their looking for something. And it doesn't help with the Count combing the forest either. If he sees Ogres, he lets them go on their way. Probably directs them to our settlements to get them off his trail," the Elf grumbled, slurping up his chopped raw green vegetables. 

" Why is the Count combing the forests," Anniya asked again. It made no sense. 

" That's what we'd like to find out. And even more, what are the Ogre's looking for?," Yalf replied. Both he and Anniya fell silent when an old woman stood up and came to the center of the circle they sat in. She looked a century old, with deep wrinkles that had wrinkles and a shriveled up face that resembled a prune. She was short, shorter then Anniya, with pale green eyes that reflected the trees, a direct contrast's to Anniya's. Her skin was such a pale green, it could of been mistaken for a human's. 

" On the first half moon of each night, Shenna recites one of tales for us. We all look forward to this. I will ask her to recite a tale that would probably be likable to a girl of your attitude. It is one of the village's favorites as well, and we have not heard it in a time. Shenna. Tell the tale of Ayinna," he called out. 

The old woman nodded, her eyes twinkling. She waited patiently while all the children quieted down. 

" Once, long, long, ago, before my grandfather's grandfather was born, there was a time fairies, Elves, Gnomes, humans, giants, all peoples lived together. Then the Ogre Wars came, when the Ogres began a quest to destroy the fairies and take control of their land, as the Ogres have no true land of their land, being the heartless scavengers and vagabonds that they are. At the this time, there were three dominant races. The fairies, the humans, and our people. As the three are all kinsman, our people immediately gave support to the fairies. But to everyone's surprise, the humans did not take part in the wars. All were shocked; even those on the Ogre's side. The humans, fairies, and our people had given each other support for as long as they could remember, especially the fairies and the humans. Human children had fairy god mothers, and most people were friends of the fairies. Half a century ago, the fairies had helped save the humans for a horrible plague that had ravaged all of their countries. When the human folk refused to give help, the fairy folk cut off contact with them. Most fairy godmothers ceased to be fairy godmother's. The friends of the fairies died out; to this day, at most there is one friend of the fairies in Kyrria. 

Several years after the wars began, our great ancestor, King Desals had died. His human wife soon died after in an Ogre attack. As a result, their daughter Ayinna,"

" With hair like the moon, of two worlds she was," the children chorused along with the woman, giggling. The woman smiled at them, and then continued. 

"...... took the throne, more girl than woman. The Ogre's forces had advanced and captured the fairy capital. The giants had nearly been wiped out. All the major capital's on the fairies side had been captured. Our ancient capital, Aslavenna, was the only one that remained free. Ayinna, young as she was, was not a fool. She knew that soon the Ogre's forces would wipe out her city as well. So, one day, she set off to find the only other intelligent creature that had not participated in the wars: the Dragon........"

The story went on to tell about the quest Queen Ayinna went on to find the dragon. Anniya found herself wrapped up in the story. 

"........and when she came to the King of the dragons, it was an Emerald green, a green so bright and so magnificent that it's reflection in Ayinna's blue eyes turned Emerald green permanently, and she because of it, she became gifted in magic. The dragon listened to her cause, and under a strong pact that the Elves would never harm the dragon race, the dragons joined the battle, particularly the King. 

The two became friends, the half-human, half-elf Elven Queen and the mighty dragon king. The dragon king possessed the power to execute the battle strategies that Ayinna came up with. 

As soon as Ayinna had power of the dragons, she was unbeatable. The fairy capital was regained, and so were the other cities, one by one. At last, the Ogres were beaten, and they retreated at last. But in the last battle, an arrow was shot into Ayinna. As she was dying, she sensed that it would not be the last time Ogres would attack. So before she died, Ayinna poured all of her magic into a single necklace, a necklace that would keep the pact with the King of the dragons with her future daughters, a necklace that would choose someone who would control the power of the necklace. It was much valued by the fairies allies, for the necklace was the only thing that held the Ogres at bay. If they were to receive it, they would be unstoppable, for it's power would choose one of their kind, and horror would be released upon the people again. The legend also states that the necklace would sing if it were close enough and the words correct." 

The children launched into the song immediately.

" Of green emeralds, of green skies,

Of Emperor Dragons, of Ogre's lies,

Release your power,

Necklace high,"

  
  


And at that moment, Anniya's Emerald necklace exploded with Emerald green light. 

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	21. Chapter 20

Anniya 21

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" All guards on hand! On guards on hand," someone screamed. West jerked his head up, noting the terror in the voice. He weakly strained his head to get a glance of the owner of the voice. It wasn't an easy feat, A beefy, assertive yet terrified man bolted into the room, holding a cross bow. 

" All of you," he gasped, indicating West's guards. The guard's eyes darted nervously towards the loud, agonizing shriek outside of the cells. " You! Ride to the nearest one of the posts and require help. The rest of you! You! Guard the prisoner! The rest of you follow me, bring any weapon you have! Move," the man screamed. 

" Sir...Might I ask....," one of the guards stuttered, obviously trying to find the courage to voice the question of what the problem was.

" The dragon cage! The Bars have vanished--it was like magic! We saw a bright green light in the room for a moment, and then the next thing we know, the damn things loose! Get out here if you want to live! Move! Now!" the man cried yet again, more urgently.

West let his head drop back to the ground. He was surprised that they still had guards guarding him at all---- he was nearly dead. The Count was too cunning, too shrewd to let him die peacefully; all these months West had been slowly starving to death. His tunic had been discarded long ago; his breeches were covered in filth and fleas. Still, he moved slightly to see if they had all left. 

Pain shot through him, and he collapsed back to the ground. Who has the papers! Do you refuse to tell me who you have given them to again? I have lost my patience with you. ..........I've given you yet another chance. Whip him until he tells. Or better, use the rack. It's a tad bit rusty, but I'm sure our dear friend won't mind. Yes, do both. And use the Cat's tail( authors note: medieval whip that had 9 strips of leather with hooks on the end) the Count's voice echoed in his head. West flinched, momentarily reliving the pain. The hours he had spent in agony with the hooks digging into his flesh, the intense, anguished feeling of being stretched apart. At one point, when they had stretched West as far as they dared without ripping him apart, he had actually screamed out what the Count had wanted to know: who he had given the evidence to. The Count had assumed that West had believed that he was about to die and called out her name in pain, thank god. 

A rat scurried past his bare, bleeding chest. He gave it a kick that once had been swift and killed the vermin on first try. It knocked the rat back a small distance, but then it did a peculiar thing; it came sniffing back towards him. West suddenly noticed several others creeping forward. He kicked the same one back again, but this time it hardly flinched. Several others came into view. West laughed, the idiotic chattering laugh of a man filled with a horrified fear. The dungeon rats were no longer afraid of him.

That was how John had died. The arrow he had taken in West's place had put him in a bad place, and he had worsened almost immediately. But no, John couldn't of died a decent death. He had been closed to it, sick with disease. West had been in the cell directly across from John, and been powerless to help him. And so his friend had been ripped apart by the rats. John. His best friend. 

The vermin weren't ordinary rats. West had heard rumors that the Count had them specially bred, for their size and ferocity. He believed it. The rats were certainly the largest he had seen in his life, and had little fear of humans. In his case, they had now had none. 

West pushed himself up with a sudden determination to stay alive, to stay strong. He kicked at the slowly advancing rats again, a hard kick. They scattered, making their damn little squeaking noises. They quickly scurried back into a group. That was yet another delightfully interesting biology lesson I've learned, West thought grimly. The rats realized they were stronger in packs. 

He ignored the screaming pain in his chest and backed up to the cell door slowly. He concentrated on remembering Anniya, the dim memories he had of her. The rats advanced with him. 

" Filthy little bastards. You're damn lucky I don't have my bow," West muttered to himself. 

A nervous chuckle interrupted the silence. Though some would of flinched, West did not due to his trained reflexes. Squinting, he made out a pale, milky looking guard. 

Anniya leaped involuntarily into his mind. West's desire to live surged stronger, and he slowly came to his knees. The guard's eyes had nervously darted toward the commotion. West grinned, and quickly slid his hand through the bars and yanked the guard's neck up against the cell.

" Alone at last," he said, still grinning. 

Applying pressure to the neck, the man fell to the ground, but not before West caught the keys. 

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Author's note: this is a horribly short chapter, but I wanted to clear things up with where West has been for the past 8 chapters in a single chapter rather then spend waste space and time in the next chapter( It'll be up by Saturday night) describing where's he's been. Next chapter will be up tomorrow. I promise. Really. 


	22. Chapter 21

Anniya

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The moment Anniya's necklace exploded with light, the Elves were immediately blinded by the brightness of it and shielded their eyes immediately. The light was so bright and intense that even those who had retired early to their hammocks on the other side of the village could see it. Several Ayorthorian huntsmen caught sight of it several miles away. But unfortunately, as the Elves would soon come to find, they were not the only non-Elfin creatures that saw it. The light lasted only moments. 

At least, for everyone but Anniya herself. 

The moment it had erupted, she had immediately been engulfed in the light. Unlike the Elves, who were terrified, a calm feeling of peace washed over her in waves. And then suddenly that feeling changed.. Suddenly, Images flashed through her mind, pictures of things she didn't recognize. Odd enough, she was not terrified, as she should of been. The pictures flashed too fast to comprehend. Only simple thoughts came into entered Anniya's mind. She saw a battle, she saw victory, then failure, then a flash of gold. And just as suddenly as they had come, the images stopped. She abruptly struck by something. In fright she though of Gleex and tightened her palm, almost as if she were gripping something. Whatever she had been gripping suddenly vanished, and the green light vanished. She felt darkness coming on quickly. But before, as she was slipping out, a voice in the distance echoed in her head. 

Anniya, above all, remember the most powerful weapon is not a sword, but something that lies within, something that everyone isn't immune to.......

It was both loud and quiet, beautiful and scratchy. Before Anniya had any more time to contemplate it, it was gone.

The clearing was quiet. Everyone stared at her with reverence and great respect. Too many thoughts swam through Anniya's head. 

" I'm not her. Whatever fairy tale you came up with, I'm not her," she began, too confused to say anything else. I should have never come here, Anniya thought to herself. 

The Old Elf named Sheena stepped forward, positioning herself directly in front of Anniya's line of vision so she could not escape. 

" If you are not the one we have been waiting for, then why does the necklace light up for you? If you are not the chosen one, why are you of the exact same blood as our almighty ancestral

Queen? If you are not, then why do you call yourself Anniya, the opposite spelling of our Queen," the woman questioned. 

Anniya was finding herself more and more uncomfortable as the Sheena or whatever her name was woman went along. That was why Ayinna sounded familiar. Ayinna and Anniya. Nearly the same. The necklace lit up for her. The necklace had protected the mythical Queen against Ogres.

Suddenly everything snapped into place. That was what the ogres had been looking for on that fateful day so many years ago, when she had hid in the hollow tree. That was why they had combed the ruins for so long. They had been looking for the necklace. The necklace that would of saved her mother. And it was also why they hadn't found Anniya. As long as it had one of the queen's descendant's wearing it, she would be safe from the Ogres. That was why she had never ran into any living in the woods for so long. The necklace had healed her from her concussion. The necklace had miraculously cured her from a deadly virus that fairy's couldn't heal. 

Anniya's emerald eyes looked up, startled at her realization. The old elf smiled, her wrinkles deepening. 

" It is true. You are the one." 

Anniya's eyes proceeded to dart around the circle. Every pair there was on her. This was outrageous. She didn't ask for this. Anniya fumbled with the necklace, then ripped the chain off her neck when it refused to come off. She gave it to the old woman. 

" Take it. I don't want it," Anniya stated, holding it out stiffly. The woman made no move to take it, only looked at her solemnly. 

" Take it! I'm going to drop the bloody thing if you don't," Anniya told her angrily, noting with annoyance that she sounded like a two year old. 

" Even if the magic was still in it, it would not work for me."

" Oh, then where's the magic gone? A holiday to the Gnome Caverns," Anniya replied sarcastically. Deep inside of her, she knew she wasn't being sarcastic because the woman wouldn't take the necklace. Though Anniya refused to let the feeling become official, she was scared. 

" You. The magic's gone into you."

Despite the fact that everything impossible had happened that night, that was something she had not been prepared for. Sheena continued when Anniya stood in silence.

" Magic is something only fairies and dragons posses from within, and it was why they are the oldest surviving races. They can draw magic from anything, from an ocean to a pebble, at any time. At rare, rare times, they will give someone not of their kind a gift of magic, as one was given to the queen. With her, the magic would of died if she had not poured it into something. The magic has at last been freed, and it poured back into you. You are the magic now. This necklace you try to give me is nothing more then a fancy bauble." 

Anniya struggled for some bitingly sarcastic remark to come up with, but for perhaps for the first time in her life, none came. After a long period of silence, she finally spoke. 

" I didn't ask for this, you know," she said quietly. " I don't care what I am. I don't have to be it." 

With that, Anniya turned her back and ran. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

You are a pathetic creature indeed, Anniya thought as she gazed at her reflection from the pool of water. Diobla snorted from nearby, impatient to move. She glared at the horse with all her ferocity. It no more heed to her glares then Anniya's feet heeded her conscience. 

But what could she have done? Stayed there and done what? It wasn't as if that village needed protection. They had been faring fine before she had come, they'd go on doing so. 

Esperanza's annoying little prophecy, legend, whatever it had been kept popping up into her head. She remembered how the gypsy girl had looked at her with the same awe. 

Let's face it, Anniya. You're a coward. You're afraid because everyone thinks your something your not, Anniya thought to herself angrily. She kicked her reflection, succeeding in only getting herself wet. 

" Damn water," she muttered angrily. Instantly Robert flashed into her mind. That was something he'd say. At that moment, she just wanted him there........ 

Anniya pushed the thought out, frustrated. She had been so preoccupied with running away she hadn't thought to take her necklace. How typical of her. Too busy running away to take notice of anything else. 

" Jakfv Ssyng."

Anniya froze. 

Even Diobla stopped his incessant nickering for a moment. His ears flicked back and forth. Anniya recognized the tongue is was spoken in all too well. 

Ogrese.

Not even daring to breathe, Anniya listened to what she guessed were two ogres lumber through the woods. That wasn't truly hard; with the racket they were making, she was surprised she hadn't heard them half a mile away. 

If anything that old elf had told her was true, she should of felt safe. But Anniya didn't, and was unfortunately all too aware of the Ogre's excellent sense of smell. 

Anniya was intent on searching for a good hiding spot when another voice caught her breath. 

" Great lumpheads. It's insulting, having to work with them. And I still have an uneasy feeling they wouldn't mind snacking on us if they had to," an utterly distinct voice said. A human voice. 

  
  


Ogres and humans were working together. 

At that moment, Anniya realized that these two species that despised each other were collaborating, and it was without the King's knowing. 

That Count. The first thought that flew into her mind. It had to be him. He had the Ogres on his side, and they were powerful allies. She was surprised why he hadn't attacked yet. Then the answer came to her. 

It was her. Anniya should have seen it sooner. She should of seen everything so much sooner. It had been the necklace. They had been trying to prevent her from obtaining the power, because it was the only thing holding the Ogres back. . Which meant someone would of known about the necklace. 

That was when Anniya realized she was in trouble.

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* Author's note*

alrighty, I'll be the first to admit that wasn't the greatest chapter. I've basically cleared up all the mystery that's lurked in the past 20 chapters. Next chapter should be up within a week( As I can seem to deliver everything on time as promised, I'm giving myself more room). Next chapters going to be a big one-- West's in it, Robert's in it, and yes, Gleex ( you'll find out how the bars melted, if you guys haven't figured that out already).

I hate giving away stuff when I've worked real hard, but in one of the next two chapters Robert and West are going to see eachother for the first time in well, a while. 

Ok, I'm going to go before i give more stuff away( it's so much more fun then actually writing out.)

~* Faerie_gurl*~


	23. Chapter 22

Anniya 23

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" What the hell do you mean he isn't here!," Robert demanded angrily. 

The guard shrank back even further. The Prince of Kellia towered over him in both height and power. The last thing he wanted was one of the most powerful men in the human worlds to become angry with him. 

" I would have detained him if I were aware of my majesty's need, your majesty. His highness, the crown Prince Briar, departed on his horse some time ago with a group of his fellow knights," the guard squeaked, hoping it was a sufficient answer. 

" Did he say where he was going?"

" No, milord. Only that he'd be away for a week or more, and to give his apologies to the Ayorthorian King and Queen for his sudden absence."

A wry grin came over Robert's face. Even in the light of an emergency, Char's upbringing never failed him to be polite.

" I overheard one of the knight's mention that he was upset about something," the guard added, watching him carefully. 

Robert's eyes still flashed with fury, but he said nothing. The fate of a nation lay in his hands, there was nothing in his power he could do about it. Char wasn't prone to spontaneous actions, like taking a trip within a few hours notice. 

" Thank you. Take these for your trouble," Robert told the man and placed a small bag of KJ's in the man's palm, and swivelled on his boot heel to begin striding toward the library. That had been the last place Robert remembered seeing Char. If anything had upset him, it had probably happened in there. 

As he expected, the library was empty and dark excluding the roaring fire. Of all the damn luck, Robert swore angrily to himself. He collided into the table in the darkness, causing papers to flutter to the ground, several into the fire. 

He dived and snatched them out of the flames before they could greedily devour them. But it was too late, for most of the print had been charred already. Robert sighed wearily as he sat down into the chair near the fire. He glanced at the papers to see if they were of any value to anyone. He suddenly realized that the letters were addressed to Char. Robert sat up and began reading. 

" These are the first words I ever penned as a married lady. You know him, but I shall not write his name, only that he is very old and very rich and lives far from Frell. And he is fool enough to make me his bride. Someday, and the day may not be long in coming, I shall be sole mistress of a vast estate. I shall not write again, but look for me. When my husband dies, I shall visit Frell. Should you spy a carriage that surpasses all others, peer inside. You will find me within, smiling at my jewels and laughing at the world------------- Ella."

Robert pitied Char. He had been planning on proposing to the girl. Just as well he hadn't. Char was too good for a wench like this one, who had most likely been after him only for his title.

At least you don't have to worry about that. If she was worried about riches, she wouldn't of fallen in love with my cousin, Robert thought bitterly. He unfolded West's letter and looked at it again. Tell her I love her. What sort of heroism was West going for? West switched woman weekly; no, that was too long for him. A different whore every night, that was more West's style. Women flocked to West like bees flocked to honey, and West with his bloated ego saw no reason to settle with one alone. He cared no more for commitment then he cared for honor, and it was evident if you spent less then a day with him. 

He himself had fallen in love with her that day at Madame Olga's cotillion, when he had seen her scrubbed clean and shining with radiance. Robert refused to believe that Anniya, who had called West a cad at least once every five minutes on a good day, could possibly have fallen in love with him. Despite his cousins' unnatural charisma, she was too independent, too head strong to fall into his week long affections. The letter had been written months ago. The so-called love in West's heart had probably died a long time ago. 

Robert studied the letter the Ella girl had written again. At least he had an explanation for Char's disappearance now. He had most likely gone out on a hunting trip, or something else to take his mind off her. Robert crumpled the paper up, and tossed it into the fire. Standing up, he began walking to the stables. This message was too important to wait and incredibly dangerous to give to a messenger. He would have to deliver it himself, and find Anniya. And if he knew Anniya, she was probably throwing herself into some life threatening situation, convinced that she had perfect control of it. And he sure wasn't going to let her do it by herself. 

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Anniya had been traveling for nearly five days toward Frell when she heard an ear shattering shriek fill the air. Her head suddenly exploded with a strange feeling that made her think of Gleex for some reason. She paused for a moment, listening carefully. Anniya wasn't about to let herself think what she wanted to think it was. Diobla flicked his ears back and forth and nickered nervously, but she pushed him on. She planned to stop in the town of Banlieu that night. It wasn't until several hours later that she heard the same shrieking whistle directly above her head. This time her head erupted with the same feeling, and Anniya knew that it wasn't one of the necklace's magic's pathetic tricks. She snapped her head around just in time to be thrown off Diobla. She hit the ground with a thud before she had time to scream. But out of the corner of her eye, Anniya saw something that made her happier then cursing the horse. 

When Diobla had last seen Gleex, the emerald dragon had been the size of a large dog, and the horse had towered over the creature. But now the dragon was the size of an incredibly large horse, and towered over Diobla. The horse neighed, terrified and probably wishing it had stepped on the dragon while it had the chance. It's emerald scales were still sleek and shiny, and his tail had grown jagged spikes along the end. His leathery wings were now almost as big as Anniya herself, but to her, it was still her dragon. 

She leaped up and threw her arms around the creature, and tears welled up in her eyes. She hated herself for being so weak, so feminine, so Hattie-like, so all of the things she had prided herself of not being. So much for her never ending promise that she wouldn't cry. 

Dragons recognize affection, for all the stories that they cannot feel emotions. Gleex let out a caring whistle and licked the top of Anniya's head with it's large, rough tongue. That caused her tears to dry and laugh. For all of it's size, Gleex acted like a dog. It was true that in draconic years, he was only an infant. A hundred years for humans was equivalent to one year of age for dragons. Adult dragons could speak the tongues of humans and other creatures, but dragons at Gleex's age could barely speak draconic. 

" How did you escape from there," Anniya wondered out loud, not really expecting an answer. Guards had probably been by the hundred. It seemed preposterous that he had been able to escape. But he had, and for now, that was all that counted. 

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Yes, I am alive. I've come out of my cave to type the next chapter. Upon reflecting my promises, I think from now on I'm not going to promise any more " due dates" for chapters. I'll try and get one out as soon as possible, as the story is 3/4 done. I want to say thanks to everyone for reviewing Anniya. I love writing it and I love reading what people think of it even more, even though that when I read the reviews my mind keeps on switching back and forth between Robert and West( Ahhh!!!!!Peer pressure!!!!!). My mind is pretty sure of my choice right now, but occaisonally it flips around. I'm going to ask that everyone please tell me who they'd rather have come out as top dog. Keep in mind that I'm pretty sure of my choice so I'm not as weak and indecisive as I appear to be. But if everyone likes one of them drastically better then the other, then I might be swayed( ARGH! I'll CAVE INTO REVIEWS!!! I ADMIT IT!!!) To choose the other one( but personally, I love both 'my' guys, just one a bit better. Hehe, I'm really torturing you guys, aren't I?).I'll include a little explanation at the end of the story why anniya chose who she did. 

Alrighty That wasn't the best chapter in the world, but I needed to coverup some loose ends, and as it's 11:00 at night on New Years Eve I didn't feel like getting into West's escape. So your all going to have to wait for hopefully not long. I have next chapter all planned out, and if time allows, I'll be able to get the plot moving along. 

As always ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Faerie_gurl*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


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	24. Chapter 23

Anniya

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Anniya came upon Banlieu's gates tired, sweaty, and caked in dirt. After sleeping on the side of the road for several days, she wanted to go find an inn and sleep for the next week or so. Yes, that would be wonderful.......if I had the money, Anniya thought, sighing. And she didn't know of any inns that would allow her to take in a small fire breathing dragon anyway. Just the same, she needed to get into the town to find out what was happening with the outside world. Such as if the Count had been arrested yet. She stopped half a mile away from the small Ayorthorian town, at sunset. 

Anniya glanced at Gleex. The dragon had contented himself so far on the day trip to Banlieu by setting various things aflame. Anniya was surprised the creature hadn't started a forest fire by now. It was also throughly enjoying spraying fire near Diobla, making the horse terribly nervous. Gleex's incessant flame wasn't the only thing different about him, besides his size. He was now truly carnivorous, screeching and attacking deer instead of mice as he formally had. Anniya had also noticed several long, jagged scars that snaked around on his belly. They troubled Anniya, but there was little she could do about it other then wonder where he had received them. 

" Look, I can't take you into the town without being thrown in chains. I need you to stay here for a day or so, without flaming or slaughtering livestock," Anniya told the emerald dragon, feeling foolish. It's eyes glowed gleefully, then solemnly. It was funny in a way, she thought. It was almost as if the creature understood. She had no choice but to leave him and pray he would be able to find her again. As much as she hated leaving him again, Anniya forced herself to kick Diobla and ride in to the town. 

The first odd thing Anniya noticed was that the city was walled in. It was Elven custom to wall in the cities, but theirs were scattered throughout their forest and they were right next to the Fens. And this was a human village. Nevertheless, she approached the heavy, wooden wall. 

" Sir," Anniya called out to the guard, posted at the top of the wall. The guard either ignored her or was didn't hear her. After waiting several seconds, she spoke again.

" Sir!" Anniya said again, louder this time. The guard glanced down from his vantage at the gate, a look of annoyance on his face. He leaned down his lantern to get a good look at her.

" What business do you have in Banlieu," the man said in Ayorthorian, sounding suspicious. 

" I need to stay the night at one of your inns, and this is the closest town. I'm on my way to visit my grandfather in Arisals," Anniya told him, figuring that was safe enough.

She hoped he could understand it. She stumbled over words, and her accent was so heavy she could barely understand herself.

The guard looked at her from head to toe, eyeing her stained tunic and dirt smudged face. Giving her a patronizing look, he cooly said, "Our inns tend to have prices that are a bit higher then you might be used to. Perhaps you should try another village."

Anniya glared at him, and wiped the dirt smudge off her face. She dug in her pocket and extracted her mother's necklace. 

" I'm sorry, milord," she began sarcastically, emphasizing the milord. " Do you think this might be enough for admittance? Or should I go whoring for more money, if that's your next charming suggestions. It's so wonderful that your interested in my personal life; we really should have a tea sometime next week. In the mean time, let me in," Anniya snapped. 

The guard stood gaping for a minute, blushed, then opened the gate. Anniya hid a smile and urged Diobla in. 

~*~*~*~*~

Anniya wished she had money the moment she smelled the crisp apple tarts in the inn. Despite what she had told the guard, she wasn't about to give away the only thing she had of her mother just so she could sleep in a flea infested bed in a room the size of a broom closet.

The Silver Stallion was one of the only two inns in Banlieu, and the dirtier one at yet. Anniya decided that if anyone would have word of what was happening with the Count, criminals would be the first to know of it. Hopefully she would find one whose tongue was loose. Or better yet, drunk. 

The smell of apple tarts were quickly covered by ale and smoke from the roaring fire. Anniya rubbed her eyes but pushed her way toward an empty table. She collapsed on the chair, wanting to fall asleep but knew she couldn't. 

Anniya listened to the chatter near her for awhile, but eventually tired of it. It was all of local matters, of how one widow's cow had gone dry and how one farmer was selling tomatoes for an absolutely wicked price. The hours went by. The later it got, the more the merchants left and the guards and stableboys and the other riffraff of society came in. Anniya had little to do other then begin to wonder if she was the only woman in the inn who wasn't a whore. The woman she had asked about the inn hadn't been joking when she had told Anniya, " Respectable woman don't go in there, and respectable men not after 9 o'clock." Anniya didn't really care whether they were respectable or not; she just needed to find someone that could be connected to the Count, and apparently she had picked the wrong town to go rat hunting. She sighed for the tenth time that evening and leaned her elbow on the table. For some involuntary reason, she found herself thinking about Robert. She missed him. You can't think of him now, Anniya told herself. She closed her eyes for a minute, missing the tall, cloaked figure that strode into the inn. 

It was nearly midnight when Anniya heard the word dragon. Her eyes jerked open, and she was suddenly wide awake. The voice had come from behind her. She remembered the men now; they had come in an hour earlier to play cards and have a few drinks. Too many drinks apparently, as they were nearly screaming. Anniya was surprised she hadn't heard them earlier. You could probably hear them in Frell. 

" Don't say anything to anyone, but when the Count received word, he hung every single Captain on duty that night in front of all of his guards," the drunk man said loudly, obviously not realizing he was announcing his secret. 

" Ha! You lie, Giles. Were you there," one of his companions asked. 

" I was there! I saw the Count an' everything. Looked damn pleased when they were hanged, and then stood up and told us all that he knew we wouldn't make the same mistakes they did. Then he presented the new captains," the third man shouted. 

Anniya didn't breathe. Receive word about what?

" It's going to be a living hell for whoever is under Erickosn's hand. Did you see his face when the Count made him one of the new Captains? You can jus' see that he thinks he's better then the rest of us," the second man added, envy creeping into his voice. 

" Have you seen that man's daughter, Elise?," Giles said, whistling. Anniya snorted, disgusted. Men. How pleasant it must be to have a one track mind with so few outside distractions.

The conversation eventually turned from the man's daughter to the woman that were in the room at the present moment. Anniya clenched her teeth in frustration. Why would the Count hang all the captains? 

" Speaking of women, I hear that the Count's offering a reward for one. A thousand KJ's alive, 500 dead."

" What she look like," the third man immediately asked. Money and women seemed to be the only thing that mattered in these men's lives. What better then a combination of both?

" She's a mix, half greenie, half human. Short, blonde, green eyes. Count apparently wants some necklace she has."

Anniya had heard how people's heart's could stop beating when they were in terrible fright. She didn't know it could happen to her. She was paralyzed with fear. How did he know about her necklace?

" A thousand KJ's!," Giles whistled. " What you could buy with that! And just to find some girl!" He exclaimed. Anniya bit her lip, restraining the urge to turn around and tell him off. Though she was completely confident she could fight these men and come out the winner, the last thing she needed was to cause a riot and bring attention to herself. 

" That's what I said. And there's an even higher price for....." the second man paused for a moment, glancing around. Anniya wanted to go strangle him. " the dragon." She smiled. Anniya knew she had heard the word dragon. 

" No one knows 'xactly what happened, but there's rumor strong magic happened. The bars were of said to disappear, and the next thing they knew, the dragon was spewing fire and the place was going up in flames." 

His two companions once again whistled, amazed with their friend's knowledge. Anniya listened intently, and suddenly had a horrible feeling. When the necklace had released the light---- or magic, as it was supposed to be, Anniya remembered gripping onto something while thinking of Gleex---- and then the feeling in her palm had vanished. Could it have been her that made that made the bars disappear? 

" The Count's must be furious. All his plans are messing up, can't say I blame him. Say, who's that cloaked fellow," Giles asked. Anniya's eyes darted around the room and settled on a tall, dark, cloaked figure. It was impossible to see his face in the lighting, but from what she could deduce, he looked like the typical cutthroat who was plotting his next victim. He seemed intensely familiar, which was strange since she couldn't even see his face. He seemed intent on something beyond the men, so Anniya saw no particular reason to continue to study him.

The second man suddenly cracked a joke that did not strike Anniya as funny at all, but as the men were drunk, it was witty and hilarious. The third man knocked over his pouch of coins, causing them to spill right beneath. 

The man swore and his friends laughed. Anniya rose to get up, sensing the question that was about to come. As she did, the last thing she wanted to happen happened. The necklace chain had snagged on the cloth of her cloak. As Anniya stood up, the chain broke, and the emerald tumbled to the ground. 

That did not happen, Anniya wished silently. That did not happen. 

" Pardon me lass, you mind handing me some of those," the man asked her in a drunken drawl, gesturing vaguely to the coins. But as drunk as the man was, he wasn't drunk enough to not realize an emerald when he saw one. His eyes locked on it. 

Anniya snatched it up and hid it from his view as quickly as she could. She shouldn't of listened so long. She had heard too much for her own good. She got up to go, but the man's wrist suddenly snatched out and held onto her's tightly. 

" Let me go!," she snapped, yanking on her wrist. She kept her voice low, not wanting to attract too much attention until it was absolutely necessary. His grip remained. Her hope sank. If this was going to be a battle of physical strength, there would be no contest. She had nothing to fight with, other then her tongue, which was as sharp as a sword but wouldn't necessarily work the same way. 

" Wills, what did you say that lass looked like again," the man asked, his eyes beginning to sparkle with greed. Giles and Wills were studying her now as well.

" As I was told to look for, a half and half greenie/ human with blonde hair, green eyes, short in height, and in possession of an emerald necklace." 

The man smirked, and pried open Anniya's other palm. She struggled, but it was only a matter of seconds before the emerald of the necklace lay glittering on her palm. 

" Let me go," Anniya cried again, not bothering with being quiet anymore. With an angry noise of frustration, she kicked the man in his shins as hard as she could. His grip only tightened. 

Anniya had been in more dangerous situations then this throughout the year; she wasn't frightened, more angry. She concentrated angrily on the man's wrist. Suddenly, it was as if someone had released an arrow. Anniya felt power surging out of her, and the man suddenly screamed as if he were in agony. Anniya jerked back, horrified as the man writhed on the ground. 

What had she done? He abruptly stopped, but didn't move. Anniya stared at him for a minute, not reacting. Giles stared at her. 

" She killed him! Bloody witch killed him," he roared. The crowd in the inn looked up at them in interest. Anniya was getting into everything she had tried to avoid. And the man couldn't be dead. She hadn't wanted to kill him. Killing him would of been crude, even if he would of done the same to her. 

Giles lunged at her, but then suddenly fell. The one called Wills fell quickly after. Anniya didn't get a chance to see exactly what mysterious force had killed them( it wasn't her)The cloaked figure grabbed Anniya's hand and yanked her toward the exit. Oh this is charming, I've been rescued from being kidnaped by a kidnapper, Anniya thought as she kicked the man. 

" Do you mind being quiet for a moment? Kicking me isn't going to get you anywhere, and it's only going to slow me down," a mocking, charming voice said that sounded oddly familiar. Anniya studied the tall figure suspiciously as he let out a piercing whistle outside the inn. 

Diobla neighed and rode up. 

Anniya was speechless. Betrayed by her own horse. What good was this horse for, anyway? The first day she had taken him he had thrown her off a cliff. That should of told her something about it's true character. 

" Well milord, as charming as this little adventure has been, I think you can let me go now!," Anniya said angrily. To her disgust, the figure laughed. A charming laugh. And suddenly, Anniya recognized it. 

West pulled the cloak down and smiled at her.

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*** Author's Note***

  
  


Ahh!!!!!!!!! Yes, I have written another cliff hanger, I admit it. I feel so much satisfied when I write one. I finally got my act together and tried to write a semi-long chapter instead of all these dinky short things I've been doing. I've been looking at my reviews and seeing that everybody has a pretty mixed opinion, I think Robert might of been a bit higher but I'm not sure. For the most they were even. Let's see, what else to I have to ramble about. Oh yes, I see everyone's starting to do these half/half things ( I STARTED A TREND!!!!!!) Hehe. I'll try and control my enthuasim. I've read most of them, and their pretty good( As much as I hate to admit, better then mine), though I've been to lazy to review them. Anyway, just pointing that out, not pointing an angry finger. 

I saw lord of the rings the other day( wonderful movie, although it was a bit too long for me) All the humans in that movie were gross and dirty and looked like they had never washed their hair in their life, so that was a bit of a turn off. Alright, as this is not the lord of the rings section, I'll get to my point. The elves in that movie are exactly how I imagine Anniya looking. Blonde with slightly pointed ears. In that movie, everyone is dirty and grimy and caked in dirt, but the elves always look fabulous and maintain this dignity. Alrighty. I'll go now and actually type in my story instead of writing insanely long author's notes that no one reads.


	25. Chapter 24

Anniya

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West.

Well, at least Diobla wasn't a complete traitor. 

After all this time, all these months, it was strange. His golden hair was combed and glistening, which was odd since Anniya had been assuming he was in a dungeon all these months. He still had the charming smile with even, white teeth that made most women fall in love with him and made Anniya want to wipe the smirk off his face. He had lost some weight since she had seen him last, but he was still clearly West, not some mirage. 

Anniya gaped at him in disbelief, trying to register exactly what she thought of him at that moment. He stood there, grinning at her. She scrambled to gather her thoughts together, and when she couldn't, words spilled out of her mouth. And certainly not the ones anyone would of expected.

" West," Anniya finally managed to get out, mentally kicking herself in the head. She was just throwing out smart answers today. His smile widened.

" Very good; I was worried you had forgotten my name."

That comment made Anniya forget she was suppose to be kind to him for at least a day. Instead, she glared at him. 

" Of course I remembered it! What sort of dimwit do you think I am?"

West shrugged. " I haven't seen you in nearly eleven months."

Anniya frowned. Had it been that long? 

" It took you several hours to notice me in the inn! As I tend to be a bit higher of the evolutionary scale then a certain man I know, I think you can overlook a few moments!"

West laughed, and Anniya glared at him. 

" That's what I like about you. I've been imprisoned for the past eleven months while you've been off dancing in the Ayorthorian palace, but you pick things up right where we left off! Not all women would show as much affection as you would," he drawled in an amused, slightly sarcastic voice. 

The word dungeon suddenly brought Anniya back to reality. 

" I had forgotten you were down there," she said softly. West's face hardened, and he didn't say anything for a moment. After a long moment of silence, Anniya opened her mouth to speak the same time West did. 

" I was near damned dead when they put me down there, but I remember it," West said softly. He opened his mouth as if he were going to say more, but then shook his head and turned to Anniya.

" I'll tell you tonight. We'll stay at the other inn."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


".....................That crazed lizard of yours finally did something right. I knocked out the guard and changed into his clothes. I managed to escape into the woods and into the nearest village, Where--."

" Let me guess," Anniya cut in. " You pocketed the money bag of the first well off noble you saw." 

" By god Anniya, would you accuse me of such a horrible crime! Hold your tongue for a moment if you want me to continue," West told her, the laughter in his face evident. Anniya did something very rare and obeyed. 

" As you guessed, I did pocket a money bag, and hired a healer. I didn't even guess you might be here. I was only stopping here for the night." 

He didn't continue, but Anniya still had a single question that West hadn't even brushed.

" Where's John?"

West didn't say anything, and just drank his ale for a moment. Anniya waited patiently for a prolonged moment of silence. Just as she opened her mouth to repeat her question, West spoke.

" John's dead," he said in a flat voice.

Deep down in her gut, Anniya had suspected that from the moment he had gotten that wound. She knew however bad she felt, West had to feel a thousand times worse. West and John had been partners. West had been the smooth one, and John had been the planner. The way he said it though made Anniya also realize that West was refusing to dwell on it. She suddenly remembered the papers he had given her. 

" I gave the papers to Robert," Anniya told him in a hushed voice. West remembered at the same time and sat up. 

" It's only a matter of time then. I'm not sure how the Count needs you, but there's a price on your head as well. You're going to stay with me until he's arrested."

Anniya was suddenly reminded of the magic in the necklace, as well as the letter West had given her. He said he loved her. 

West stood up abruptly before Anniya could say anything. There were bags under his eyes, and he looked exhausted." It's late. We need to get to sleep."

Anniya nodded, even though her head was bursting with questions, and followed him up the inn stairs. West yanked the door open, and they stepped in. 

Anniya surveyed the room with one glance and spoke immediately.

" There's only one bed."

West's face lost the haggard look and was replaced by a look of amusement. She scowled at him. It would be just like West to arrange a situation like this.

" And your point is.............," he drawled, grinning at her glare. 

" The point is I have an allergic reaction to dogs, so it would be the best not to share my bed with one. I suggest you go down and tell them that we need another bed." Anniya replied sweetly.

" Only one bed rooms are left, and even if there were other options, It's nearly dawn and I crave sleep. As it is, there is no other place to for me to sleep in this room" West replied, and began unlacing his boots. 

" Try the floor," Anniya replied dryly. West's smile only widened as he took off his shirt and settled down on the bed. 

" You're welcome to stay awake, but I plan to rest while I can." 

" You low down, disgusting, rotten.................... thing!," Anniya finally told him when she saw he had no intention of moving. Straight out of prison and already back to his arrogant personality. 

" Naikl Merdos," she muttered under her breath, the Elfin words for cheap skate. The floor would be uncomfortable and freezing. She had no money to go to another room. That left Anniya one choice. 

" If you put one single finger on me, I will skin you alive and sell it at the market! You know, a creature with a soul would feel actually feel guilty, not smirking right now, as you probably are," Anniya fumed as she began unlacing her boots as well. She lay stiffly down on the bed in her disgusting, dirty clothes, suddenly all too aware of how small the bed was. Anniya tried to put as much as space between her and West as she could, but it was only a matter of inches. 

" You know, you could put your shirt back on," she informed him, turning her back to him so she wouldn't have to look at his face as she went to sleep. West only laughed. 

" Anniya, Anniya. If you refresh your memory you'll recall that I am a thief, not a rapist. I'm not going to touch you." 

" You forgot murderer," Anniya added nastily. What sort of shoddy place were they staying at? These beds were scarcely big enough for a dwarf. West only yawned and turned back over.

Anniya continued scowling at the wall. But eventually, sleep overcame her. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Though Anniya could sleep peacefully, West could not. He slept less then most did; only six hours a night. So nightmares were always more stressful. 

" Tell me, who did you give the papers to," the cold voice screamed in his head. " Just kill him. Burn him alive. I don't care." 

And at that moment he was set on fire and he was burning............

West flinched and woke up, bathed in sweat. He sat up and looked outside. It was still dark outside; so it had not been almost dawn when he went to sleep. 

His hand bumped into Anniya, and for the first time West remembered she was there. It was almost funny how she transformed in sleep. When Anniya was awake, she was ready to snap a witty retort to anyone that annoyed her, and didn't give a damn. In her sleep, she had an angelic look to her. West resisted the urge to brush away the wisp of hair that was in her face, and began searching for his shirt. It was strange how West treated that near year in the dungeon. He looked at it as if it were a nightmare, something horrible that he could only reflect on. He would rather reflect on it then actually be there. 

As for John, West tried not to think about him at all. Back in the dungeon, he had been haunted by nightmares of guilt. The Count hadn't accepted West's story on how he had been the perpetrator, and thrown both of them in chains. Anniya had done god knows what before going to the Ayorthorian castle, and Robert had been too busy waltzing around in the Court to keep track of where his cousin on the 'bad' blood side of his family was. West knew if he dwelt on John's death and blamed himself, he'd transform into one of those pitiful people. If West wanted to help John, self pity wasn't going to do it. Revenge would. 

He pulled on his shirt and began tying up his boots. After he had stolen some money, West had regained confidence. The healer had given him questioning looks, but hadn't said anything when he healed him. As soon as West was able to walk again and purchased himself a temporary bow, he had began to go straight to Frell. That was as much as Anniya knew. She didn't know about the revenge plan. 

In his dungeon time, West had managed to learn things that drunk captains had accidently slipped. Such as the Count was planning an assassination attempt on the King and Queen at a Royal Ball they were having to welcome their prince home. It was there he planned to kill the Count. 

West always referred to him as ' The Count'. The man's true title was Count Frederick Di Fallon, 3rd in line for the throne. West couldn't bring himself to call the man an actual name, like a human. 

He finished tying his boots, and stood up to go downstairs. Anniya had already taken over the bed, ambitious even in her sleep, West thought, grinning wryly. 

There was something different about Anniya. She acted almost exactly as she had when he had last seen her, but there was something different about her West couldn't name. She couldn't always meet his eye, but he couldn't think of a reason why. 

" One ale and one of the biscuits," West told the innkeeper after he had made his way downstairs. He eyed the serving maids and the hired help as they were scurrying to clean the tables, sweep the floors, do all of their normal chores at a hasty rate.

" Expecting an important visitor," West carelessly commented, gesturing to the servants around him. The innkeeper nodded vigorously. 

" Not just any visitor. We were informed that a Count would be staying here on his journey homeward." 

Damn. 

" A Count? That'll no doubt bring good business for the inn," West remarked, continuing as if it was a normal situation. The innkeeper once again nodded, brewing the ale as he spoke. 

" Aye, that it will. Count Fallon as well! Third in line for the throne! He's on his way back to Frell." 

" What time is he arriving? Perhaps I might be able to see the man myself," West said, taking a drink of his ale. 

" We were told early in the morning. We've been up all night, cleaning and scrubbing the floors. Most likely in the next hour or so." 

" Ah, damn my schedule. I'd love to stay, but my wife will have a fit if I stay longer then I need. As it is, there's a fair in my village within a few days, so I must get to the road," West sighed convincingly. If the Count wanted a description of West, he certainly wouldn't be expecting a clean, shaven man with a wife waiting at home. 

The innkeeper gave him a knowing smile. 

" Aye, I know how wives are. Fret like hens if you leave them alone." 

West finished his ale. " My sister and I will be checking out now. Keep the change, for such fantastic service," he said carelessly, placing a money bag with nearly 30 gold Kjs in it. Basically, an amount to buy a pure bred stallion. The man felt the weight of the coins in his palm and gaped. West gave him a shrug. 

" Excellent service, like I was saying." It was a enough money for the man to feel that West was a lord undercover, and not mention anything of him to the Count if there were questions. 

" Thank you, milord," the man said, stuttering. It took a long time to save up that much money. West turned on his heel and walked as slowly as he could force himself to walk up the stairs. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

While West had been downstairs, Anniya had been dreaming. In her dream, Robert kissed her again, while West was there. West only stared at Anniya, then stared at Robert. He said something, and then turned and left. Robert kissed her again. 

That was when Anniya woke up. Did she have to dream about them while she slept? It was confusing enough dealing with Robert and West awake, much less asleep. Anniya pushed away the dream and snuggled back down under the blankets. 

It had been awhile since Anniya had slept on an actual bed. She had been savoring the feeling, even though it would of felt terribly uncomfortable to anyone else. Until West burst into the room. 

" Get your boots on. We're going," he said abruptly, throwing them at her. Anniya caught them, surprised. 

" What's the rush? I just woke up," she told him as West snatched up his cloak and bow and arrows. Anniya looked at him, slightly bewildered, but put on her boots. West seemed dead serious. 

No sooner then did she have her boots on then West yanked her to her feet and dragged her out the door. She wrenched her arm free from his grip. 

" West, for the love of god, if I'm suppose to be running away from something, you could at least tell me what it is!," Anniya told, exasperated. He met her eyes for a brief second. 

" The Count. He's staying here on his way back to Frell. And arriving anytime from now to the next hour. We need to make it to the bridge."

Anniya realized the danger. There were two ways to arrive, and one to leave in this town. If the Count was detouring slightly out his way so he could rest, and unfortunately that was the way Anniya and West needed to leave if they wanted to get back to Kyrria. It was nearly inevitable with the time that they'd run into the Count and his men. They could stay and hide out at the other inn, but it was bound that someone would recognize them if the Count asked. 

" Anniya, dammit, this is not the time to ponder the situation!," West snapped, tugging on her arm. But Anniya had an idea.

" We don't have to go over the bridge."

" Anniya, are you insane? That's the only way! What do you suggest we do then? Swim?" 

Anniya grinned. " Something like that." 

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Esperanza didn't trust people. Gypsies can't trust people; after all, people didn't trust them. You couldn't really blame her. She hadn't always lived out on the streets selling herself for enough money to get by. Her family had traveled with others, for their blood was wild and could never be happy settled down in one place. That had earned them the name gypsies, but back then Esperanza didn't care. She was fiercely proud of her heritage, and it hadn't mattered what other's thought of them. Un the caravan, she had a family, she had friends, and for the most part, Esperanza was happy. 

That had been all true until she was four, merely a baby. Her story was a similar to the horror Anniya had experienced; only in a way, it was worse. Anniya could blame it on the blood thirsty ogres, but Esperanza could only blame it on the evil in human beings. Both were connected in that sense though; Anniya had witnessed her parent's death, as Esperanza had. She still recalled the day. They hadn't been near any towns, and were on their way to Bast. Her sister had been tying a head scarf in her hair, when they heard a scream of wild fear. Esperanza remembered being terrified out of her mind, her mother urging she and her sister to get into the wagon, her Father and brothers running up. Esperanza had been the baby of the family, and was absolutely terrified. Her brothers had leapt up into the wagon, and her Father had brought the whip down on the horses. 

Esperanza had felt safe for sometime. It wasn't until several hours later that an arrow shot through the tarp of the wagon and pierced her brother's shoulder. Soldiers surrounded the wagon almost immediately. Esperanza had began crying again, but had fallen silent when a regal looking man approached the wagon. His hair had been the color of ebony, with cold, hard, eyes that resembled steel. His voice had even sounded like she had expected it to--cold and crushing. 

" Look what almost escaped. Kill the man and the woman," he said cooly. Within a moment's space, two of the soldiers stepped up and slashed her mother and father with a swift motion. Esperanza shrank back, too terrified to register what had happened. Her siblings were in shock. 

Merc was sixteen, the oldest. He lunged at the man. Esperanza had been terrified for him, but had not been expecting the man to take his sword out and slashed her arm several times, quickly but deep. She screamed as the blood began to run. 

" If you touch me or one of my men, I shall do that again. Slowly, and deeper."

My brother stiffened, and my sister tightened her grip on me. She was fourteen. The man appraised all of us, then finally turned and spoke to who appeared to be the captain. 

" Send the brothers to the dungeon. Have a bit of fun with the older girl." 

The captain, obviously disliking what was going on, had spoke. " What of the little one?"

The man's steel gray eyes locked on Esperanza's. She had stared back. he looked at her for a long time. Then he broke the gaze and shrugged.

" Leave her here for the wolves. Or perhaps the Ogres. Come now, let's be going," the man said, and turned the dappled horse toward the other direction. 

" Yes, my Count Fallon," the man replied obediently, and signaled to the rest of the soldiers to follow. 

" ' Ranza," my sister screamed, kicking like mad. Someone hit her with the hilt of their sword, and did the same to Esperanza's brother. 

Esperanza shook her head, pushing out those horrible thoughts. She turned and looked around the streets, looking for someone who could possibly have a loaded money bag. Anniya hadn't shown up, and that was that. She hopped down the street, trying to keep her bare feet warm. It was too cold, even for Ayorthora, to be outside without shoes. Hopefully that wouldn't last for long. 

Esperanza had no hand for stealing, although everyone thought they were born with one. She shivered, and looked around. This was the capital city, there had to be someone with a big money purse around here!

She saw one at last. He looked strangely familiar, but perhaps that was a good thing. Esperanza quickly smoothed her hair, and strode over to the man with dark, dark, blonde hair. His clothes signified he was of nobility. He was talking to some man, looking stressed. Even better. She waited until the conversation ended, and she strode over. 

" Hello there," she said in a bit of a husky voice. The man seemed to guess what she was suggesting. 

" No, I'm sorry, I'm in a rush, I don't have time to pay some girl to lay on her back while-." 

The man stopped short when he looked at her. 

" Have we met," he asked her. Esperanza was about to ask him the same thing. They studied each other for a minute, and suddenly Esperanza remembered where she had seen him before. 

" You're Anniya's friend!," she exclaimed. His eyes widened as he recognized her as well. 

" Do you know anything about her," the man immediately demanded. Esperanza nodded.

" We were suppose to meet near this bonfire. I can show you where it is," she told him. The man nodded, and extended his hand to help her up on his horse.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*

  
  


**** Author's Note***

* whistles*. I leave all these dinky little 2 page chapters everywhere, then I throw this 7 pager one at you. Hopefully I'll get into the habit of doing that. Alright, well I want to say that thank you to everyone who has reviewed my story so far. Without you guys, I probably would of given up a long time ago. 

Esperanza and Robert are going to run into West and Anniya soon, so the story should be well on it's way. Alright, that's all I have to say.

----------- Faerie_gurl


	26. Chapter 25

Anniya 

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" Milord. Their aware that we're coming," a messenger told Count Frederick Di Fallon, sweeping a bow formal enough for a King. The thought made his mustache twitch as he smiled. 

After all, he would be king in a few short months. 

" Good. I trust you remember the plan," he told the messenger cooly as he took a pawn with one of his knights. The Count often played chess with himself; it made chess the most excruciating game in the world. The messenger gave a curt nod. 

" A quarter of us will go to the bridge, and the rest of us will await them near the Cavern river, were they will almost certainly go. There, we are to kill the girl, but leave the man alive," the messenger repeated slowly as if his life depended on it. Which it did, of course. The Count couldn't afford to have forgetful hands, even if they were hirelings. His knight took another pawn.

" Correct. You may inform Captain Vanclasu that he may carry out the plans." With a wave of his hand, the messenger exited the elaborate tent, leaving the Count to ponder about recent events. 

He took a sip of wine. It was sweet. Almost as sweet as claiming the throne would be. Ah yes, he had long fantasized of what would happen on the night of the crown Prince's homecoming balls. Queen Daria had thought them a fabulous idea when the Count had suggested them to her.

The memory of the foolish woman's pathetic joy only widened his smile. How the hideous woman had ever become Queen was beyond his understanding, and even more so the reason the King had never taken on the concept of concubines. All of the Court worshiped the ground she walked because, in the words of one of his former knights, ' she had the most caring heart in the world'. Quite possibly also the most naive. But what was King Jerrold's loss was Frederick's gain. He had succeeded in arranging the ball at which the Crown Prince and the Princess would die. 

Count Frederick had been planning this for fifteen years. He had lied his way into the highest powers of the Kyrrian Court , slipped poison to anyone who gave a hint of suspicion, and won over countless women in his younger days. He had hardly had to dispose of many people that were suspicious, mainly because their were none. To the naked eye, he knew how he appeared-- caring, chivalrous, and honest. There had only been one time, one time he had killed and regretted it. he didn't regret the man he had killed--------Count Frederick regretted who had seen him kill that man. If she had only not come so early..........................he was sure that she would of understood, Count Frederick told himself. 

'No, she would not of. She loved her aunt, however disgusting you may think the Queen, and she loved you, until she saw what really lay beneath your good intentions' a voice of the past echoed. 

The Count pushed it away by taking another drink of the wine, and closed his eyes for a moment. No, it had been she who was the fool. She could of been Queen, but she ran off with that poor substitute for a man. The foolish whore had brought on her own demise. 

The sudden, frightened neighing of the horses snapped him back to his senses. A soldier tapped on the tent twice, then stepped in. 

" Milord, TSSal of the Ogre tribe Mniqa wishes to speak to you," the soldier said calmly. A sly grin spread over the Count's face once again. His vassals had worked so often with ogres, the coming of them no longer seemed like a terrifying thing. His next though only made the Count's smile widen and his moustache twitch. What would take all of Jerrold's piddling reign, if any, to accomplish, had taken him a mere fifteen years. It seemed a lot, but if you compared it Ogre's loyalty, fifteen years was something only a genius mine could accomplish. Something he possessed. At that moment, TSSal of Mniqa glided in, accompanied by the stench of human flesh.

By Ogre standards, TSSal was ruggedly handsome. At ten feet, he weighed near the weight of a horse, and had enough muscular capacity to crush one with his bare hands as well. His beady, dangerous ebony eyes were hideously terrifying to any creature but an Ogre if TSSal was not attempting to be persuasive. His green-blue skin was caked in dirt, and both his fingernails and incisor teeth had dried blood on them. Completed with Coarse black hair, he was the image of every child's nightmare and Count Frederick's image of victory. 

He had partnered with this Ogre for at least twenty years, back when TSSal had been a headstrong a teenager, and he had barely been in his thirties. His lips once again curled into a smile. Jerrold had been incredibly proud as well as the sniveling hordes of peasants, especially since TSSal was the young leader of the Ogre tribe. It had been ridiculously easy to sneak into the dungeon and cut TSSal's ropes. Count Frederick had made the perfect deal for both of them: If TSSal and his tribe could help him usurp the throne, he would allow the tribe to run free, with the guarantee that no one would harm them as long as they didn't raid villages more then once a week. It seemed to the Count that he was receiving the better end of the deal. He would have the support of one of the largest Ogre tribes, and would also get a chance to free the land of some of it's disgusting peasants. As long as they paid their taxes, peasants lives were naught to him. The Count turned back to TSSal, who had to bend down because of his size.

" TSSal of Mniqa, welcome. I have not heard from you in some time." 

TSSal smirked, revealing incisors that could cut through the bone first bite. 

" Di Fallon. It is charming to see you as well............," he purred. 

" Where have you and your clan's whereabouts been," Count Frederick asked him, studying him carefully as the creature's death colored eyes glittered. 

" Many, many places. As one of my people have already informed you, the man with the papers has gone to Banlieu with....a girl. The Arcadian princeling is on a hunting trip. He is surrounded with knights though. We do not know where the other Prince is............," TSSal slurred, then paused. The Count didn't rush him. TSSal was keeping a large piece of information from him, and no doubt debating whether or not to tell him. 

" There is something else. A girl. The one with the man who has the papers. Many I have sent parties with the permission to devour her, but she disappeared before our eyes. Others went and began to burn when they came near. She is unaware of our presence entirely, so it is beyond our knowledge what happens. I approached her while she slept, and I felt myself being torn apart."

He paused once again, then continued. 

There is something different about her. She is not of your blood, nor is she of any mortal race. The blood which flows through her veins is that of immortality. We believe that the girl has draconic blood within her." 

The Count snorted a laugh, and TSSal's eyes flashed. " You doubt me? I have seen the dragon she commands, the same color as her emerald eyes. You can see magic in the depths of their eyes," TSSal hissed as he leaned forward, growing dangerous by the moment. But the Count was now taking him seriously. Several things were clearing up now. Such as who might have the papers.

" The girl's dragon? An emerald one? And she was the one seen with our dear bandit, correct." TSSal stared at the Count for a moment. He froze- he detested when this creature evaluated his secrets. Then a smile spread over TSSal's face. The Count found it repulsive, although others had said that their smiles were identical. The Count spoke again.

" Thank you.........for your advice, TSSal. But don't trouble yourself over the girl. I will have her dealt with," the Count told TSSal reassuringly. After all this time, even a whore of a girl couldn't stop him. That much Count Frederick Di Fallon knew.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


West cringed as Anniya let out an ear piercing whistle. They were half a mile away from the Cavern river, and Anniya was pretty sure that she was the only one who knew about it. Right now they were searching for Gleex before entering. Anniya grinned at West's grimace, and did it again, merely to spite him. He shifted his position on Diobla. Anniya sat directly in front of him, so it was nearly impossible to escape the window shattering noise. 

" That was subtle. Perhaps you ought to do that again, I'm not sure someone halfway across the world heard you properly," West said sardonically. Anniya shot him a glare, but it no longer had an effect now that West was so used to it. 

" Gleex will come if I whistle. However, if you want to go tramp through Ogre infested woods for the next half of the day, Robert, then I'll be-."

" What did you call me?," West said abruptly. His pale green eyes studied her emerald ones intensely. Anniya looked at him quizzically. There was a bit of a sharp edge to his tone, and they had just been joking, hadn't they? It took Anniya another moment to realize what she had called him. 

Robert.

" Oh, I'm sorry. You two just look so alike, and I was just thinking of Robert," Anniya began, cringing with every word. This wasn't coming out the way it was suppose to. " For god's sake West, everything's fine." 

He studied her for a moment longer, opened his mouth to say something, then closed it and turned away. 

As he turned away, images exploded in her head. 

An image of a coach and a company of guards burst into Anniya's head, causing her to flinch violently. Something seemed to be searching for.......was it her? The thought of the Count and the Cavern river flashed as soon as she recovered from the shock of the first image. At last, an image of Esperanza and Robert going into a familiar shop....Anniya realized it had been one in Banlieu. This one was so strong and so urgent, Anniya gasped for breath. 

West felt her body shudder, and released his grip on her arm. He swung off Diobla. 

" What's wrong," he asked, his eyes suddenly flickering with concern. Anniya's eyes flew open. She couldn't see anything threatening at the moment, but she knew what was about to come. Anniya lunged for Diobla's reins. 

" We need to get back to Banlieu! It's a trap! They knew we were going to find out that he was coming to town, he knew that we were going to go to this Cavern instead of the river," she said urgently. There was no need to say who 'he' was.

Despite his previous rants, West didn't question her. He had been in life-and-death situations plenty of times before, and could sense this what yet another one. Anniya felt herself being swung onto Diobla, and without another moments hesitation, they turned back for Banlieu. 

~*~*~*~*~**~*~

  
  
  
  


************ Author's note**********

  
  


Arghhhhhhhhhh! Another pathetic, short chapter. I didn't mean to have such a lame ending for this chapter, but it was a bit necessary to end it there because otherwise it would of turned into a 7 pager, and of course there is the tiny fact I have a Biology test tomorrow. Sorry it took me so long to get a chapter up. I had a bit of a temporary writer's block. Alright, I have a few things to say:

(1) I AM AT 300 REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE REACHED THE BIG 3-0-0!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN DIE A HAPPY WOMAN!!!!!!!!!!Alright, now that my over inflated ego has shrunk a bit, I'd like to thank every single person out there that ha s reviewed this story. I'd like to list all your names, but err...that take a awhile. I'll list everyone's name in one of these chapters towards the end. But anyway, I'm thrilled to death with all the reviews, even if you divide it by 25 and it turns out to about 12 reviews per chapter or so.......(not that I'm complaining!). Thanks again guys. Keep on reviews and I'll keep on the story.

  
  


(2) This is just sort of a wondering question that's really annoying me-----what is a

Medieval-ish word for teenager? I keep on having to use that word and it's annoying the crap out of me. 

(3) What's coming up--------- The original gang meets up again: Anniya, Robert, and West, plus Esperanza. Yep, their finally all together again. next chapter will probably be a bit more romantic conflict-ish then most, but will have a good share of action too. I'm not giving it a due date, but hopefully it will come very quickly. I'm starting it tomorrow. 

  
  


(4) Ah, Yes----- the ever going Robert vs. West battle. What's happening??? one chapter with West, and half of the Robert-ers( I don't know what's up with me and hyphens today) have jumped over to the West side of the boat. Almost everyone's ready to ship him off to Indonesia-------but what if West does something that's cruel????? What if Robert was right, and West's idea of love lasts as long as chocolate does when I'm around( read: I inhale chocolate). Hehe, yes I know, I'm doing my best to make everyone paranoid. Or am I.......?

  
  


Hehe, alright, I'll go now. Keep on reviewing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Faerie_gurl

  
  



	27. Chapter 26

Anniya 27

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" We are going this way. The way that gentleman told us," Robert told Esperanza through clenched teeth. He had never hit a girl before, but if there was one that would drive him to it, this girl would be it. Robert doubted Char could of resist. 

" Oh yes. And we should most definitely listen to a man who sells whiskey for a living. It smelled like he had been digging deep into his supplies, but what do we care? He appears to be a nice gentleman" Esperanza said, sarcasm ringing in her voice. 

Robert sighed. A thousand retorts flew through his mind, but he held his tongue and turned the horse to the path that the man had told him. he could see how Anniya had befriended this girl. When it came to cutting remarks, Esperanza and Anniya could of passed for identical twins. 

" I regret to inform you that you really don't have all that much choice in the matter," Robert told her, urging the horse on. He himself was regretting he had ever brought her along. 

" Well then, may I at least advise we stop in a village for the night. We'll be bordering the Fens later into the night, and that's the last place we'll want to be," she replied. Robert had more of a suspicion that it wasn't the fear of Ogres( she had probably never seen one in her life), and it was more of a way of convincing him to go down the opposite road. 

He gave a side glance to the dark, looming forests that covered an entire mountain to the east. The Fens. Perhaps the single most dangerous place this side of the world. Though the forest was technically on the land of Kyrria, Ayothora, Bast, and Kellia, none of the countries had attempted to settle it. The area was home to several of the most powerful Ogre clans, and beneath the land were extensive networks of Goblin caverns. It would be sheer suicide to ride into it, and was risky as it was just riding along the border. Once he was crowned King, Robert planned to send parties into the forest to try and eliminate some of their number. No one knew for certain exactly how many Ogre clans were up there or how large they were. It had become a bit of a project for Robert to find out an estimate of how many could be up there, since no one had ever taken any particular interest in it, as long as the ogres stayed up there. But according to Robert's calculations, if he was correct, there were possibly over a thousand ogres up there, all divided into separate clans. Or perhaps it was only two large clans, or so. Robert didn't know for sure, but what he did know was that they had enough power to seize a capital city, and possibly take over a kingdom. 

"So? Are we stopping," the gypsy girl asked, interrupting Robert's thoughts.

Robert sighed, but reluctantly gave in. Besides, storm clouds loomed overhead. 

" Yes, we are. If I remember correctly, there's a little town called Banlieu that this road should lead us to." 

Esperanza shut up for the miracle time of one minute before she opened her mouth again. 

" I have a question for you. And please answer me honestly. When we had met previously, I remember that you said you were some sort of nobility. What rank ," she asked. Though her voice made it sound like a perfectly ordinary question, Robert detected a slight bit of nervousness. 

The question annoyed him, as it always had. Being 'the prince' changed everything. It changed everyone's opinion of him. To some the words were like a magic spell, and everyone who heard them either immediately began sucking up, or immediately detesting him. Rarely, their opinions changed, but there had only been one person to look him straight in the eye and detest him because he had tried to shoot a unicorn, not because he was heir to a kingdom. 

Anniya. 

He sighed, and replied to Esperanza's question.

" Prince." There was no point in lying to her. She'd find out, sooner or later.

There was a slight moment of silence, but then, to Robert's uttermost surprise, he heard the gypsy laugh behind him. 

" I didn't think you were that high, but it makes sense. I don't think a lordling would call a drunk a gentleman." 

And that was the end of it, to Robert's surprise. She didn't fawn over his status, but merely asked him several questions, then went on to talk about the terrain. Perhaps she wasn't as bad as Robert had thought she would be. 

Eventually Esperanza became quiet, and they rode in silence. Soon, the thunder clouds that had threatened to rain all day let loose. Within moments both of them were soaked to the bone. The rain was raging and angry, and so hard that Robert could barely see in front of him. It wasn't until an hour later that Robert saw something in the trees out of the corner of his eye. At first he thought it might be the rain playing tricks on him. But then he saw it move again. Damn. He urged the horse on. He was sure that they were near Banlieu. Any moment the village could appear. Lightning struck.

Esperanza suddenly screamed, and the stallion reared and bucked several times. Esperanza slammed to the ground, but Robert managed to stay on, only because of careful training. 

" Shhhh....Shhhh....what's the matter boy? What do you s--." Robert stopped abruptly as claws swooped down and gripped his upper arms. He had hardly time to blink before he was soared into the pouring night. A soft, chirping noise greeted him happily. The thing swooped back down to the ground, dropping him. Robert slammed against the muddy ground, and rolled to the side. A blinding green shape settled itself down next to him. Robert moaned and rubbed his head, but event through the blinding rain he grinned at Anniya's emerald green dragon. 

Gleex had certainly grown since Robert had seen him last. The tremendous creature had obviously strengthened too, if he had been able to lift Robert in the air without so much a sweat. He knew that the tiny( by dragon standards) dragon had only recognized him and had been happy to see him, not trying to hurt Robert. But Esperanza didn't know that. 

" Hang on! I'll save you," she shrieked, and before Robert could blink twice, a sharp stone was hurled through the air and hit Gleex directly in his rib cage. 

The playfulness in the dragon's eyes suddenly froze, as if it were remembering something from the past. It snapped it's head back to study Esperanza. She picked up another stone and flung it, piercing Gleex's chest. A hint of blood showed, as the dragon's chest is one of it's most vulnerable parts. The dragon screeched in fury, and lunged at her as she picked up another rock. 

"No! Don't throw the rock!," Robert screamed at her, but over the roar of the rain she didn't seem to hear him. 

He scrambled to get up, but had a sinking feeling he wouldn't be able to stop the creature. The gypsy girl drew back her arm, obviously ready to throw another rock at her. At that moment, Gleex let forth something Robert hadn't known the dragon could do yet; flame. 

The ground that surrounded Esperanza roared up in hungry flames. Gleex drew back air, ready to release more fire. Robert started running hard toward them both. He opened his mouth to scream.....

" Stop," screamed a voice the same time as Robert. 

Stop? It hadn't been Esperanza. Robert stopped and squinted into the rain to see who was screaming. 

Through the blurred rain, he saw a small shape running towards the dragon. As the shape came closer, Robert suddenly realized it was Anniya. The dragon exhaled, and flames showered down on Esperanza. But right before they hit, Anniya threw herself in front of Esperanza. And the flames showered down. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Anniya scarcely knew what she was doing, other then the fact that it was undeniably insane. She had known that she needed to come back to Banlieu for some reason; perhaps this was it. 

Although Anniya was having second thoughts when she saw torrents of fire coming down at her. It had been some sort of instinct. Probably the same one that mad " Stop," Anniya screamed once more, putting her hand in front of her face. 

The flames stopped. 

Anniya didn't really think anything for a moment. The strange things that been happening to her lately she had adjusted to. Well, not really, but they hadn't been anything like this. Apart from her theory that she had freed Gleex, and her 'visions', nothing truly terrifying like this had happened. For the first time, Anniya recognized that there was nothing ' little' about this power. What she could do now was not just an ordinary gift. She suddenly recalled what that old Elf woman had told her, when she had asked where such powerful draconian magic had gone. The voice echoed in her head. 

" You. The magic's gone into you." 

At that moment, Anniya realized what she was capable of. 

Gleex, bewildered that he had nearly killed his beloved mistress, leaned down and nuzzled her. She stroked his scales and sat up, rubbing her head. A surge of black, wavy hair appeared in Anniya's face.

" Anniya! Don't worry, I think I've scared it away. Don't worry," the gypsy girl bubbled, leaping to her feet. 

" No....don't. It won't hurt us," Anniya told her, a bit sleepily. Esperanza, satisfied that the dragon was keeping it's distance, peered at her in worry. Anniya had been lucky that she and West had decided to go back to Banlieu. She squinted in the rain to look for him, and to her relief saw a tall man striding quickly toward. 

" Anniya! My god, are you insane? Are you alright," a voice different from West's asked her, crouching down next to her. It was Robert.

" Robert? What are you doing here," she asked him, rubbing her eyes again. He looked angry, worried, and glad all at the same time. 

" I was about to ask you the same thing! Anniya my god, you almost killed yourself! You could of died!"

" Look out," Esperanza screamed as Gleex leaned down to nuzzle Anniya. Studying them, Esperanza suddenly realized where she had gone wrong. 

" Oh, now you tell me. Thank you for allowing me to nearly unnecessarily kill myself," she told Robert, nudging him. He ignored Esperanza and helped Anniya up. 

" We need to get her to an inn. It's most likely just shock," West said, suddenly appearing. Robert nodded. " Alright. I'll follow you back. Come with me, Anniya."

Anniya found it amazing how the two cousins could meet up after a year like they had just seen each other yesterday. West scooped her up on her feet.

" I'm not in a coma, West! You can put me down now, and please wipe that smirk off your face before I wipe it off for you," Anniya snapped, but she was light hearted. She placed her hand on Gleex. 

" It's alright. You didn't mean any harm, I know. I need you to stay out here a little longer," she told him. The dragon made a noise, but seemed to understand what she wanted. 

Within moments, they were back on their way to Banlieu. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They went to the rundown inn that time, to avoid the Count. Where ever he was, thought Anniya. They hadn't heard anything of him, and right now finding some place to sleep was first priority. They stepped into the always crowded inn, filled the smell of alcohol.

" We're certainly staying in style Robert," Anniya teased. In all honesty, she had been in so many seedy inns, scarcely none of them phased her anymore. Robert grinned, and stepped up to the inn manager. 

" We have one room left," the man said before Robert could speak. 

" We'll take it," West said quickly, and Robert dropped several coins in the man's hand. The two men headed toward the stairs. Esperanza exchanged a mischievous glance with Anniya. 

" Do you remember that legend I told you," she asked Anniya. Anniya winced. Unfortunately, she did, all too well. 

Esperanza laughed at her friend's grimace. But then her pretty turquoise eyes became serious.

" Anniya, I'm not going to ask you what happened back there with the fire, or ask you to do it again, but you should know this: Be careful. Whatever you have, it's not natural and I know you wouldn't abuse it. But there are other people who might."

Anniya nodded, smiling at the only female friend she had ever had. 

" So how did you run into Robert?"

Esperanza's face turned into a smile, and she gestured at the tables. 

" Sit down. We have a long time to talk, because you better bet that I want to know why you never showed up to go dancing." 

The two friends talked for a long, long time. They laughed, they cried occasionally, but for the most part, they were happy. Anniya had lost track of the hours when Robert tapped her on her shoulder. 

" Anniya? I need to talk to you about something," he said softly. Anniya searched his face for a brief moment, then nodded. 

" Esperanza, you're being dismissed," she told her gypsy friend. The girl stood up in mock anger, stalking off toward the stairs. But once Robert wasn't looking, she turned around and winked at Anniya. Which reminded Anniya of the time Robert had kissed her. 

Which reminded her she hadn't told him about West, and vice versa. 

Robert gestured toward the door, and she followed him out it. They walked silently for several moments before Anniya spoke up, sighing.

" I suppose you'd like an explanation."

Robert folded his muscular arms. " That would help, a bit."

" I don't know what's happening. After I left Ayothora, one day I came across some elves. Some of my kind. I spent a day with them, and they told me a tale. It was long, but I'll summarize it. There was once a great elfin queen, during the time of the Ogre wars. She made a pact with a dragon king for power to defeat the ogres. When she died, she poured all of her magic into a necklace. The necklace would one day choose someone to pass on the power too. I'm suppose to be that person." 

It was odd talking about herself like this. She felt like she was in a story. 

" I don't know what's happening to me now. I see things. I can do things," Anniya laughed, a little bitterly. " In fact, I can do anything I don't want to do." 

Robert was quiet for a moment, but then he spoke. 

" If all what you think you can do can really happen, I think you've been touched by magic Anniya. Think of everything, everyone you could help with this! Think of what evil you could stop," Robert marveled. He didn't pursue it. After several more moments of walking and silence, Robert halted under a tree. 

"Anniya? I think we both know that I didn't just bring you out here to talk about what happened this afternoon," Robert said softly. Anniya didn't meet his eyes. It hit her all too fast that West didn't know what had happened with Robert.....that time Robert had kissed her. 

" Anniya, please look at me. You haven't met my eyes once since we've met up." 

She raised her eyes, and met his cloudy blue ones. Please don't try to kiss me, she thought desperately. Mainly because she knew she wouldn't risk if he did. 

" I missed you," he told her simply. He wanted to kiss her as badly as she wanted to kiss him. But Anniya wasn't going to do that, especially when he didn't know about West. 

" Robert, you--," Anniya began at the same time Robert leaned down and put his mouth softly on hers. 

A swirl of mixed emotions swept down on her, mostly relief that he was here and everything would be alright. She wanted to laugh, almost, she was so happy to be kissing Robert. West touched her mind for a moment, but he quickly left him. She would savor this moment for as long as she could. Anniya realized she didn't want Robert to go, and closed her eyes and kissed him back. She wrapped her arms around his neck. As his fingers ran through her wet, tangle hair, Anniya felt an emotion she hadn't felt in a long time. Love. 

As much as she wanted to keep holding onto him, Anniya gently pulled away from Robert. 

" I hate to interrupt, but I've ordered us all drinks," a cool, deep voice said lightly, so light it was dangerous. Anniya snapped her head around to see who it was, although a sinking feeling in her chest told her already who it was. Her eyes met the freezing, green one's of West. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

  
  
  
  


*** Author's Note****

  
  


* Whew! That was a pretty heavy chapter. Yes, i know i promised an upbeat one, i lied. I'll spend a little more time on the next one. I know I wrote yet another dang cliff hanger, so please don't kill me ( heh heh. I just don't feel completely unless I end a chapter that way). I'm going to try and make these things longer. Thank you everyone for the monstrous reviews!!!! You've inspired me to write all 5 pages in one day!

  
  


Please review!!!!!!!!!! Or I might...heh, heh......STOP WRITING!!!!! 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Arien Westkander Di Calixte the fifth 


	28. Chapter 27

Anniya 28

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Anniya had never noticed such a colossal difference between Robert and West until that moment. Though Robert and West had similar features, they were as opposite as night and day when anger. Robert would spew furious words, and let his temper fly, adrenaline pumping. West was more collected, and dangerously calm. Much like, in fact, Count Frederick Di Fallon. 

" West..........how long have you been out here," Anniya said, startled still. She and Robert simultaneously let go of each other. West returned Anniya's wide eyed look with a chilling smile. 

" Long enough," he said simply, holding her gaze. 

Generally Anniya could throw out icy stares like a king could throw out money, but at that moment all she could do was look away. Right then, she felt low. Lower then the lowest of pond scum. But pond scum were sort of lifeless creatures that didn't really have social interactions, so that put Anniya even lower on the ladder. She should of told West. She should of told Robert. But especially West. Even with everything else, she still wanted to be his friend. Even when he teased her, Anniya had never hated him. She had come to rely on West, and now that she had all of betrayed him. 

Without saying any other words, West turned and left, the sounds of his boots echoing on the cobblestones. Anniya stared after him for several moments before rising to her feet. 

" West! Wait!," she cried, but Robert grabbed her hand before Anniya could take off. Her first instinct was to slap it away, and that certainly wasn't a feeling of love, so she merely tugged. 

" Anniya, you don't understand the first thing about West," he stated. She opened her mouth to retort that she knew plenty, but Robert went on anyway. 

" I know you think you do, but you don't. You don't. Wait for him, and he'll come back after he's calmed down." 

Anniya shook her head. " I'm still his friend....if he even wants me to be that. I'm going after him." 

Surprisingly, Robert let her go. She was slightly puzzled that Robert was so understanding. If Anniya hadn't been so flustered at that moment, the answer would of come to her within seconds. But all she could think about was making sure West understood. 

She had to run to catch up to him. Her short legs and his long strides didn't match up, and as a result it was nearly five minutes before she happened to catch a glimpse of him. He was walking along the riverside, his hair shining gold in the moonlight. The rocks along the river rose up sharply, their jagged points glittering dangerously, making it harder for Anniya to reach him. 

" West! West, wait!," Anniya called after him, frustrated. If he had heard her, West gave no indication. 

Anniya picked up her pace and fell in with his long strides, hoping he wouldn't run. There was no way she could hope of catching up to him. West scarcely glanced at her. 

" Now who do I have the pleasure of walking with tonight," he said calmly. The tone of West's voice scared her slightly. But Anniya wasn't one accustomed to fleeing when she was frightened. 

" West, look, I'm sorry. You were just gone for so long....."

To her surprise, West laughed. But it wasn't the teasing, merry laugh that generally happened when he was around her. It was harsh and frigid. 

" Ah, I see it now. Quite ridiculous of me, isn't it? I hadn't realized what distress I was putting you in. Forgive me," West said sardonically, and picked up his pace. He changed his direction, and began walking uphill. 

" West, I'm sorry! For god's sake, I scarcely thought you would be alive, and that any feelings you had for me would of died! Now I know you wish I could go lose myself in the woods right now, and I feel the same myself! But there are other people who's lives may depend on how quickly we get to Frell, so stop being so selfish, because--,"

He spun around and grabbed her hands in a rapid moment before Anniya could blink. His face was close enough to kiss her, and for a moment she was afraid he would. 

" Selfish? I'm selfish, am I," West demanded, his voice low yet rough. His keen eyes stared at her with intensity, brimming with intelligence. " I'll tell you who's selfish. What's selfish is a girl meeting a man and causing him to fall in love with her. The man creates a distraction that lands himself in the dungeons so that he can save his friend and so the girl can save herself. He gives the girl something that he trusts no one else with. Now Lets say the man spends a year in utter torture and starvation, half alive and half dead. He finally escapes, and finds the girl. But not without his cousin, who she has conviently fallen in love with. But no, the deal becomes more charming. She expects the man to get on with his life and fall directly into her hands again, to play mercenary. I'll tell you who is the goddamn selfish one is, Anniya." 

If it hadn't been for the slight fear and the gigantic temper that Anniya had been given to at the moment, she would of also registered that West had admitted that he loved her. But it slipped away from her mind.

" You don't have one single idea what I've done all these months, and they aren't nearly as lovely as this picture your painting. It's been bad for me, if not as bad as it was for you! I was sick with a fever, I was nearly killed countless numbers of times, and did I neglect to mention that the entire time both Robert and I were trying to find out where you were! You couldn't expect me to keep that love for a year, a love that may have never existed in the first place! If you don't come back to the inn, we'll never be able to stop the Count!," Anniya spat angrily, abruptly cut off by West. 

" I don't want to hear a damn word you have to say anymore. In all honesty Anniya, I can't say I care anymore. I wish you luck with Robert. I guess a Prince is a bit more alluring then a brigand, isn't it? They tend to spend a bit more money on whores, don't they? Although in my experience, the ones I've slept with at least have a trace of loyalty in them," West drawled, a combination of boredom and a rush of coldness. 

The last line was what did it for Anniya. The words weren't nearly as harsh as they could of been, but at that moment West was so alien to her, so cruel, she hated him. For in a dark corner of Anniya's heart, she still loved him. It as more then she could bear. 

" West, stop it! Stop it! I fight with everyone but you, and just because I can't love you ' that way' anymore, doesn't mean that I still don't love you! I know you wish I was dead, but I can't change something I have no control over!," Anniya screamed at him, her voice cracking slightly. The silence was horrible. West spoke first.

" I have never, nor will I ever, wish you were dead," he said softly, but firmly, realizing how much he had hurt her with his words in the past moment. 

" Are we still friends?"

" If you want to be."

" Of course I want to be, would I be asking if I didn't?" 

Although Anniya didn't see the pain in West's smile, it was there. In truth, his anger with Anniya was nothing in comparison to his anger with Robert. Because from how Anniya acted, she obviously did not know that Robert had known that West loved her. 

  
  


Which meant Robert was in deep trouble. 

  
  


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***Author's note***

  
  


Even I'll admit this is worse then my usual cliff hangers. I'm sorry about the shortness of this chapter, but it's late at night and I was sort of stuck so I had to quit it because I'm exhausted ( yes I know, excuses, excuses). I have several things I want to say.

  
  


(A) THANK YOU EVERYONE who aided me in finding some 'medieval-ish' words for teenager. I meant to mention that in my last author's note, but I didn't have enough time to read the reviews before that. Anyway, thanks guys, and the rest of you reviewers too.

(B) I'd like to say thank-you to Jane( I think it's Jane. I'm sorry if I'm wrong) of Q for telling me about the Ella Enchanted movie!!! It made my week-- no, my year! It inspired me to get off my lazy butt and go type up a chapter. Go look at my reviews to find the movie info. on it. thanks again.

  
  


(C) um, I'm a bit desperate here, but could everyone please go review hemlock's seeds of blood? I'm extremely desperate to read the next chapter and would be extremely happy if she continued it( hint hint, nudge nudge). 

  
  


( D) West vs. Robert: this is a pretty dark chapter again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and a horrible cliff hanger!!!!!!!! I put it out just to satisfy everyone's angry anti-cliffhanger reviews ( Oh, and by the way, thanks for all the reviews Pandora's Boxx! I was sufficiently annoyed enough to write another chapter ( j.k)! I have to say this much about the next chapter: Anniya isn't seriously injured ( I am soooo sick of having people go into comas and fainting). Oh, and West isn't nearly as much as an jerk as he appears to be right now( or is he?). 

keep on reviewing!!!! Thanks again!!!!!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	29. Chapter 28

  
  


**** IMPORTANT NOTE!!!!!!!!!! MUST READ TO UNDERSTAND STORY!!!!!****

I had to edit chapter 28. Some of you read the original ending, which I posted at 10 pm and took down at 8:30 pm one day. So if you read the 'cliff' ending, reread chapter 28 right now! Alrighty, thanks. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Anniya 29

  
  
  
  


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" West?"

" Yes?"

" I am truly sorry. I didn't mean for it to turn out this way," Anniya told him as they walked back toward the inn. Although West was no longer angry at her, he was still a bit stiff. 

He didn't say that it was fine like she wished he would, but then again, Anniya couldn't exactly expect him to. Walking along the moonlit river, Anniya was feeling slight bits of empathy. She had broken his trust, and she had to accept that. Even if she didn't want to. 

"I shouldn't of yelled at you. I don't place most of the blame on you," West replied. The icy tone was gone, and now his deep voice was mellow. 

" It's really not Robert's fault at all. I should of told you, and I didn't." 

West laughed. Although it was no longer mocking, it aggravated Anniya for some reason. 

" Well, it's true. Don't try and blame Robert for it." 

" Tell me honestly, Anniya. Is that what you think?"

" Of course it's what I bloody think, and what's more is it's true. Why?," she asked curiously. 

West just shook his head and kept on walking. She scurried to catch up with him. She had never had to walk this fast before they had fought. It annoyed Anniya excessively now that she realized he had always slowed down to keep her pace. 

" When do you think we should leave town," Anniya asked, hastily changing the subject despite her annoyance. 

" How's an hour," he replied, still walking fast. Anniya stopped.

" An hour? For gods sake West, what's so urgent that we have to leave town in an hour?"

West paused, and looked out into the cold, crisp forest beyond them. Even with the crescent moon shining into the sparkling river, it was impossible to see anything that may have dwelt inside. It was literally just a blur of black. It made Anniya uneasy to think that Gleex was out there, but then she reminded herself that any dangerous creature would probably think the same thing of her beloved dragon. He could now, after all, shoot fire into the sky like a full grown adult. She studied West's face as his eyes scanned the forest. 

" There's something out there. I don't know what it is, or how long it's been watching us. But it's out there," West finally said, and continued walking. 

Anniya stood for a moment and peered out at the forest once again. The same inky blackness met her eyes. 

Suddenly it seemed as if it were daylight outside, for a moment. In that moment Anniya looked into the forest and saw several ogres. One of them towered above the others, and had a skull attached to his belt. The sky dimmed again and it became dark again a moment later. But Anniya remained rooted to the spot, terrified. 

If she had seen any other creature, the Count, a blood thirsty dragon, or even a goblin, Anniya would not have been frightened. Alarmed certainly, but not afraid. It took a lot to make Anniya break out into a sweat. But since that fateful day, the last day with her parents, Anniya had a fear of ogres that was greater then anyone in Kyrria's. 

" Anniya. Move along," West called out from ahead, not noticing her distress yet. 

Anniya didn't move an inch. 

" West. There's something out there. I just saw it," she told him shakily. West gave her a quizzical look. 

" Did it come out? It's impossible to see through these woods." 

Anniya shook her head. 

" It's like I had that ' vision' thing, the one telling me to avoid the water caverns. Only it was different. For a moment, it was like it was the brightest day, not a cloud in the sky. I saw what was in the woods, West. I saw Ogres," she told him, her eyes darting out in the forest. 

West looked alarmed, and took out his bow. He scanned the forest, then spoke to Anniya.

" Where did you see them," he asked quietly, pivoting.

" They were straight ahead. Not more then thirty feet away from here."

" Can you see anything anymore?"

" No."

" Could you try and make it happen again?"

" I don't think so. I wasn't even trying to see anything. It just happened."

West nodded, and lowered his bow. This action surprised Anniya somewhat.

" You believe me?" 

Anniya had been certain that any illusion of trust that there had been had disappeared. West shrugged his shoulders. 

" No one is every completely honest, just like no person is completely angelic or completely devilish. That's what makes us so different from animals. It's the faults that make a person perfect," he told her, still keeping a close eye on the woods. But the more Anniya contemplated what he had said, the more it made sense. The thought sounded as if it came from a philosopher, not the rag tag brigand she knew. 

" We need to move. Follow me closely," West told her. 

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Odd enough, Anniya saw nor heard any more from Ogres.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

At the table, Anniya was more aware then ever of the heavy silence, and the heavy anger between West and Robert. It had been a dead silence since she and West had come back. She had made West promise that not one word would be said. Of course, Anniya didn't know that West had no intention of keeping that promise, at least when she wasn't around. But now, both of them were at a deadlock. Esperanza's nervous chattering only made things worse. Anniya merely sat there in silence. Eventually even Esperanza fell silent. She caught Anniya's eyes and raised her eyebrows. Anniya shook her head slightly, indicating that she would tell her what was going on later. After several more moments of silence, a barmaid came up to table.

" Can Ah get ya'll something, hmm," she asked them, tilting her head towards West and smiling at him. Anniya studied her. Despite the girl's heavy commoner accent, she was pretty. Only a few inches shorter then West instead of a foot, and wavy brown hair framed by thick eyelashes. Yes, she was very pretty. 

" Whiskey," West replied immediately. The girl grinned , hardly taking her eyes off him as she asked Robert what he wanted. Robert shook his head slightly, and the girl moved on. 

" Wait," Anniya called out after her. The girl swivelled around, looking annoyed. 

" Yes?"

" Could I have some of that delicious bread I saw you serving earlier," Anniya asked her, proud of herself for being polite to the stuck up serving maid. 

For some reason Anniya's simple request for food cracked a smile from her companions, leading to Robert finally speaking. 

" The winter ball is in ten days. We need to get there on the ninth day, if possible. Although we have solid evidence, that isn't enough. I have reason to believe that he holds power over half the court right now, mainly through blackmail." 

" We're in Banlieu right now. The ride to Frell is at least eighteen days, at a hard ride. There's no possible way we could get to it in time. Any one with the slightest bit of intelligence would be aware of that," West cut in sharply.

Anniya glared at him and kicked him underneath the table. He didn't look the least bit phased, but discontinued the monologue. However, she had been thinking the same thing herself, at least about the impossible time to get to Frell. But she was one step ahead of both of them, and had thought of the one path that could get them there early. 

" Oh yes there is." 

Apparently West had been on the same step with Anniya. 

" I know what you've thought of, and I'll bloody roast in hell before I do it," he told her simply, taking his angry glare at Robert for several minutes to arch his eyebrows. 

Anniya merely grinned, happy that West was back to his normal self. 

" The Fens. We'll cut straight through them, and we'll get there three days early." 

She got the reaction she was expecting. Esperanza laughed, Robert stared, and West arched his eyebrows once again. 

" The Fens? As in that place where the largest Ogre clans run free? That's a lovely idea, Anniya. Perhaps while we're at it, we can slit our throats," Esperanza chirped, sharing the same thinking as West.

But not Robert. " That's the only way. Anniya's right, we can just cut through the Fens. We've all seen worse." 

" Yes, in my nightmares," West said dryly. 

" It's the only way," Anniya shot back. 

There was yet another silence, as the fellowship contemplated what to do. As they thought over her idea, Anniya mused about how odd they all looked together. Robert was a prince that was heir to one of the most powerful country in these lands. West was a wild and well known brigand. Esperanza was a outcast and a former prostitute. And Anniya..... Anniya didn't know what she was. The girl. 

" And we'll have Gleex too," she added. Gleex was about ten times the size of anything of any danger in that the Fens. 

" Oh that's comforting. I'll be protected from something that wants to eat me by something else that wants to eat me," Esperanza grumbled, brushing a wispy black hair out of her face. 

" He was probably just trying to do the impossible, also known as trying to make you be quiet," Anniya shot back jokingly. Talking to Esperanza was like talking to herself at times. " But seriously. It's our only chance. We risk our lives now, or we risk Char's and the rest of the royal family. Not to mention we may place Kyrria in the hands of a tyrant," Anniya added.

" I don't get it," West said matter-of-fact. Anniya arched her eyebrow at him. 

" I don't get why your doing this. It's damn nice your helping out the monarchs, but you've known them all for a year. You couldn't even speak their language a year ago. Why are you doing it," West asked her. Anniya had thought about the question before. But even now she still didn't know the answer.

" Do you always need a reason to help somebody? Did Robert need a reason to yank me out of the forest and attempt to educate me? Did Esperanza need a reason to watch over me when I was sick with the fever? Did you need a reason to help us get to the capital city," Anniya asked him. West didn't reply, but looked at Esperanza. 

" I am simply too nice," Esperanza sighed, and nodded her head. " Count me in."

They all looked at West. Well, at least Anniya and Esperanza did. Robert glared at West, and vice versa. 

" Sure," he said finally. " I'm in." Anniya's smile lit up. 

" Alright, here's what we do. We'll have to leave tomorrow morning, early as possible. Rent a few more horses, stay on the edge, and with Gleex, we'll be perfectly fine......"

" Your whiskey, green eyes," the pretty barmaid told West, interrupting the conversation. West flashed her the famous grin that had broken so many hearts before him. 

Anniya stood up, the brunette towering above her. " I'm going to sleep. Wake me up when we leave in the morning," she informed the table, then marched away. As she passed near the stairs, a man old enough to be her father stopped her. 

" I can tell that you want me," he told her. This seemed to only be the final straw in Anniya's horrid day. 

" True. I want you to go away," Anniya replied, giving him her nastiest dirty look. He backed off. Anniya could throw a pretty mean glare. 

Stepping into the room, she saw it had four beds. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


" Oh for god's sake, Esperanza. You act like he's going to kill you," Anniya told her dark haired friend after she had shrieked for the tenth time when Gleex came near her. She conveniently ignored the fact that Gleex had already indeed attempted to do this. 

The sun was just sinking over the dark mountain tops. They had started out at dawn in order to make it as far as they could. None of them had anticipated that it would take this long to reach the forest. 

The Fens was perhaps one of the most dangerous lands in this part of the world. More then ogres dwelt there. There were underground caves filled with goblins and river serpents as well. But even with them, Ogres were the true danger. 

As they rode toward the borderline, they passed many warning signs written in all languages. 

" This is quite the tourist attraction, isn't it," Robert remarked after passing the tenth one. Anniya nodded, and wished that Gleex wouldn't fly so high. 

An several out of Banlieu, they came to the border.

" I might not be a fancy scholar, but I can tell you straight on that nothing good is going on in there," Esperanza declared, speaking for everyone. 

Even at night, one could tell that the forest was different from most. Robert swung a lantern around, trying to find a path in the thick brush. It was dark, darker then the coming night. It was nearly impossible to see inside. Not a bird song, not a cricket chirp came from within. Occasionally the wind whistled eerily, and leaves blew by. 

" Is the entire tract of land like this," Anniya asked curiously. She wanted to know if she was going to have to be glancing over her shoulder constantly. 

Robert shook his head. " According to several books I've read, the land is divided up into three parts. The first part is the forest of the night. It doesn't matter how bright it is, the trees block out the light. It's mainly goblins in this part, but we have no advantage against them because they can see in the dark. Lots of caves too. The second part is where the main Ogre tribes run. It has small forests on a gigantic, open plain. Not too many places to hide. The third part is much like a normal forest, and the minor ogre tribes dwell there. Much more then the other two, which makes it extremely dangerous. From what I've heard, we don't have a high percentage of getting out of this place alive," Robert told her. 

" From what my buddies have told me, it's more then a ' high percentage'. What he means is that we have a one out of ten chances going in there and surviving. Even for dire emergencies, this is never used a quick route to Kyrria. This is the way the foolish or the foolhardy take because their too damn lazy to go the longer way. Maybe having this overgrown lizard with us will push up on the food chain. But even a dragon can't protect us against an entire ogre tribe. This isn't a statistic," West shot at Robert immediately after he finished speaking. 

Gleex shot a snort of smoke at them, and that ended the conversation quickly. Anniya looked over the forest, and bit her lip. Hearing about all these deaths didn't change anything. They would still have to go through there. 

Robert's lantern swung accidently to the left. Anniya's quick green eyes spotted something the average eye would not of seen. Covered by the thick, thick brush, there was a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared in the dense black trees. 

" There! Robert, back there," she called out to him. Robert moved the lantern in the direction of her hand. Sure enough, through the huddled, shadowy trees there was a path. 

" Come on. Maybe we can get out of this perpetual night place before dawn," Anniya told them, and stepped into the forest. 

The hot Ayorthorian air left her as Anniya was swept up in a rush of coolness. She frowned, and stepped out. The hot air came back. She let out a small laugh. 

" This is absurd. It can't be chilly in there when it's hot out here."

" Well, if there was one place in this world where it could happen, it'd be here," Robert told her, and he stepped inside the borderlines of the forest. He waved over his shoulder, motioning for the others to follow them. Robert, Anniya, and Gleex led the front, while West, Esperanza, and the horses were in the back. 

As Anniya stepped inside the forest, once again an icy wave swept over her. She shivered, not knowing if it was from the cold or from the fear. The ancient oaks were gigantic. Anniya felt even more dwarfed then she usually did. 

None of them talked. Even Gleex had managed to stay quiet. The emerald dragon made no noise, released no smoke, and for the most part was perfect. Anniya dropped back to walk next to him after awhile. At first Anniya wondered if they all stayed quiet that they would increase their chances of gliding through unnoticed. But the further she went, the more she realized that it was impossible. Even if they did manage to stay unseen, they would eventually have to stop and sleep. And that would be when something found them. 

After awhile, Anniya's eyes began adjusting to the dark. She was also aided by the slivers of moonlight that slipped through the tree tops. They should of comforted Anniya, but they just made her fear even more eerie. It was almost as if the forest wanted them to be seen. Occasionally she thought she saw shapes darting between trees, but she would of sensed something was wrong if they were a true threat. 

The trees were even bigger now that Anniya's eyes had adjusted. Some of them were centuries old, with their great limbs touching the ground, completed with the delicate gray moss hanging off. Spots of moonlight shone through the tree tops, allowing her to see the dim path. 

" The Fens is one of the oldest legends in my heritage," Esperanza whispered, her eyes filled with her gypsy spirit as well as her fear. Anniya nodded, indicating for her to continue. Esperanza continued in a hushed voice. 

" It is said that the creation of the lands began at the Fens. The Fens was once a place of beauty, of perpetual light. The legend says that the faerie's themselves walked down here side by side with the ogres. But back then the ogres were beautiful, beautiful people. It was said that one could go blind by their beauty. They were told that they were a beautiful race, but alas, only the faerie's had mirrors, and only them. But a particular mischievous ogre, Bees, one day stole one from one of the highest princesses'. The king was enraged. And when Bees looked into that mirror, a horrible curse fell upon the ogres. They lost their beautiful, angelic skin, and their wide multi-color eyes, and their lovely brilliant hair of all different colors. They developed carnivorous teeth, losing their love for vegetables. Coarse black hair and beady eyes came. And their beautiful, angelic, honey colored skin turned a blue-green. With them, the land transformed. It grew dark, the flowers died, everything died. That is what we are walking in now. A dead land." 

Anniya shivered again. She studied the trees most closely as they walked along. 

Gleex suddenly let out an anxious cry, causing a large echo. On cue, Robert whipped out his sword and West his bow. Robert had been leaning toward using his sword since Anniya had seen him last. She recalled her eerie talent with a sword, one that she had long since abandoned. 

" That wasn't a good move. The way he was hollering, something's going to find us ," Esperanza whispered when the echo finally died out. Anniya shook her head.

" Wrong. Something has already found us. We need to move." 

No sooner did the words leave Anniya's lips did a horn sound. The way the forest echoed, one couldn't tell how far away it was. The group was silent as the ghostly, solemn horn was blown once, twice, then thrice. 

" Go," Robert said, speaking for nearly all of them. Anniya shook her head violently. 

" Where to? We have nowhere to run.

" Just go!," West told her, and pushed her forward. 

At that instant all of them began running down the dark, winding path. They were easy targets, but Anniya was afraid if they went off course they wouldn't be able to get back on. 

Noises were suddenly heard from the right side of the forest. Distant ones, but coming fast. 

" Faster! Faster," Robert shouted, no longer bothering to keep his voice low. The moment had come when they were spotted. 

Gleex suddenly shrieked, and took off into the air, heading towards the right side. In an instant Anniya knew that he was going to try and hold their attackers off.

" No!," she screamed, stopping. In an instant, Anniya took after him in the woods, not even thinking of the consequences. 

" Anniya!," she heard Esperanza screaming after her, but she paid no mind. Branches tore at her dress and face, but it only made her more determined to run harder. 

She didn't know how far off course she became, but she head Gleex's battle cry several minutes later, far off to her left. Anniya also heard her name being frantically called. She ran a few more steps before stumbling into an open clearing. That was when Anniya stopped running.

Anniya couldn't recall seeing a tree this big in her life. It stood in the center of a large, open clearing. It's drooping branches stretched out in every direction. It's trunk was the most magnificent. The width of it would of matched a cottage. It's bark was old and battered, but shone with a otherworldly beauty, a color that seemed like silver. Dead leaves surrounded it, but that only seemed to add to it's magnificence. It dwarfed the trees that surrounded the clearing. It must of been the oldest tree in the forest, possibly in Kyrria, Ayorthora, the Fairylands, Kellia, and Bast all put together. 

Anniya stood there, breathless. How could such a beautiful, ancient thing of magic exist in, as Esperanza put it, a dead land? 

" Anniya," yelled West as he burst into the clearing, abruptly slamming into the petite blonde herself. He grabbed her by her shoulders. " Are you bloody insane? You could of died! You could of been killed, we had no idea where you were, if a damn ogre got you or not," he ranted angrily. Esperanza and Robert appeared on the scene. Esperanza pushed West out of the way.

" Are you alright," she asked anxiously. Anniya nodded her head, and gestured to the tree. 

For the next minute it was quiet as all of them stared at the tree. 

" By god........," Robert began. 

He abruptly dropped what he was saying when another horn was blown. This one was undeniably close. Less then half a mile away. They were, unquestionably, doomed. 

" The tree! There's something on the tree," Esperanza said suddenly. Anniya whirled around and saw that what she had taking for scratches in the trees bark was, what looked like some sort of rune. 

" Hurry! Maybe it can help us somehow," Robert told them, and took off for the tree. They reached it in less then a minute. The tree was even bigger up close then it did far away. Anniya knew that it was a weak plan, but at this point they really didn't have much choice. The noise in the forest became louder. 

Anniya could see it clearly now. She wondered why she didn't notice it before. In the center of the great tree, a message had been inscribed in the ancient wood. 

" I don't recognize this language. It's in an ancient tongue," Robert finally said, his voice grave. West had already given up, and Esperanza was listening to the dead leaves crunch as god knows what raced towards them. Anniya glanced at the runes again, and came to a startling realization: she knew what they said. 

" I know this! I can read it," she exclaimed, moving in front of Robert. She moved her fingers over the carved runes as she spoke. 

" I am in the...... beginning of.......eternity.... ," Anniya began, recalling more of the language as she went along.

Esperanza screamed at that moment. Anniya didn't turn around, but she heard Robert yank his sword out of his sheath, and West load his bow. She concentrated on the words.

" and at.....the end, I think......of time." 

  
  


" Tell me thy...... answer.......and enter........or if wrong, I think that's what it says.......or if wrong, face they enemy which attacks thee."

She thought about it for a moment. " It's a riddle! We have to solve it! What is at the beginning of eternity and at the end of time," Anniya exclaimed, and started to turn around. 

Just in time to see the first goblin come into the clearing. 

It was hideous, almost worst then an ogre. It was nearly five feet tall, and had black, warty skin. It's slanted eyes glowed red, like rubies. It had pointed, black ears that only made it more hideous. More poured into the clearing. 

" What about ending!," shouted West, firing arrows. The tree did nothing. 

" good and evil!" 

" Beginning!" 

" The sun!" 

None of the words did anything. Robert turned to Anniya and Esperanza.

" There are too many of them! Run, we'll hold them off!"

Privately, Anniya thought that if a fire-breathing dragon couldn't hold them off, then Robert and West certainly couldn't of. And even so, she refused to leave them. 

" Think Esperanza! Think," Anniya shouted desperately. The goblins circled the tree more closely now, speaking to each other in their harsh, dry language. 

At the sound of her name, Esperanza's eyes suddenly lit up. She pressed against the door, and shouted with all her strength, " E! E! E!"

For a moment Anniya was scared that her friend had lost her wits. But that was when she realized that the answer had been right in front of them. Eternity started with the letter E, and the word time ended it. 

The inscription and the bark disappeared, revealing a passage way. 

" Go," Anniya screamed as arrows flew pass them. She grabbed Esperanza's hand and dragged her into the passage way, Robert and West quickly behind her. The bark reappeared just as the goblins hit it, preventing them from following the group. 

However, what awaited them inside here, they did not know. 

  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


****Author's Note****

  
  


The Fens. The legendary home of the ogres. After you've read Ella enchanted 10 billion times, you tend to noticed the little details. For anyone who cares, the Fens is mentioned exactly one time in Ella Enchanted. For anyone who cares even more, it's on page 88. I obviously had to use some artistic license, but that's how I kinda imagine the Fens would be. Anyway, I thought I'd tell you guys that in case ' The Fens' rang a bell in your head. 

  
  


Thanks for the landslide of reviews! A few chapters ago I was thrilled that I was at the 300 mark, and now I'm almost at the big 4-0-0. Thanks guys!

  
  



	30. Chapter 29

Anniya 30

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  
  


West was the last one to hurtle himself to safety. Anniya could see, and he most certainly felt the wall materializing behind him as he did it, and the impact of the stone floor even more. It knocked the breath clear out of his lungs, causing him to lie still on the cold floor. 

"West!," Anniya screamed, and bent down to see if he was alright. She didn't notice Robert frowning, but it wouldn't of stopped her if had. Anniya wasn't one to dwell on the past, and at the present all she knew was that West was still her friend. Robert slapped him forcefully on the back several times as Esperanza pulled him up in an upright position. 

" Are you alright? Is everyone alright," Robert asked them all, snatching one of the two torches on the wall. He swirled it around, making sure that all of them were there. Not that there was much he could do if they weren't. 

" Where are we, anyway," Esperanza asked, looking around. 

No one seemed to be able to answer her question. West stood up and brushed off the dirt on his clothing, surveying the place with the rest of them. Even with the light shining from Robert's torch, it was impossible to know where they were. It was a hand carved passage, about eleven feet tall and wide enough for all of them to walk through it, side by side. Torches lined the walls. 

" Well, wherever we are, we should camp here tonight. This looks as safe as gets, considering the territory were in," Robert declared.

West nodded curtly, an action that surprised Anniya. Considering what had happened between the three of them, she was surprised that he acknowledged Robert at all. 

West slung off the two sacks. With a start, Anniya realized that the sacks had been on the horses, which were missing. 

" Where is Diobla? And your horse, Robert," she asked, slightly worried. As annoying, self centered, and arrogant as Diobla was( and come to think of it, West as well), Anniya didn't want anything to happen to the horse. As with Gleex. But she couldn't let herself think of Gleex if she wanted to save them all. 

"We were forced to abandoned them when you ran off after Gleex," Robert replied, in a deep yet kind voice. Anniya was grateful for it. She knew how much Robert valued his horse, Night, and not to mention she had lowered their chances of survival. 

" Horses are pretty damn intelligent. Not to mention a lot faster, which will give them more luck in evading ogres. They'll probably outlive us all," West said with a shrug, obviously not terribly concerned about his beloved horse. That West for you. 

He opened the sacks, and began rummaging through them. After a few minutes, he told Anniya, Robert, and Esperanza their contents. 

" Spare arrows, rope, candles, a blanket, some spare knives, some thread and string, a couple other supplies. In the other sac, we have bread, cheese, jerky, a couple of beat up apples, and god's gift to man." 

" What is it, whiskey?," Anniya asked sarcastically. West laughed, and shook his head.

" Canteens. Empty of course, but one or two of us could go off and find a spring. I'm sure there's one in here. Somewhere," he replied. 

Esperanza nodded. " Good idea. We'll set camp right where we are now. How many blankets did you say you had?"

" Two, unfortunately. One of the other packs had more. You and Anniya will take those," Robert told the two girls apologetically. Anniya shook her head stubbornly. 

" You take it. I don't get cold easily," she lied. Robert had attempted to explain the idea of chivalry to her awhile back; Anniya had never grasped or liked the concept of it, just as she disliked being labeled ' weak' and 'feminine.' 

" Don't be ridiculous. You'd have to have a dozen blankets to be warm. Your taking the bloody blanket."

" Stop it! Alright, if we have to argue about something, can it be about something other then a blanket! I'll solve this and I'll take the extra blanket if no one wants it. God knows I'll need more then two to keep me warm!," Esperanza exclaimed, interrupting their battle. 

Anniya grinned at Robert, and he grinned back. Esperanza had a temper to rival Anniya's. 

Within a short hour, they were all sleeping fast. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


West sat on against the wall, re-stringing his bow. He was used to sleeping only several hours at night, at most five. It was like that in his line of work. That was part of the reason he had woken up before everyone else. Taking an arrow in his hand, West grabbed his bow and shot the arrow with deadly accuracy. 

It hit it's mark of course, making a slight, whistling noise. Anniya made a slight noise, and for a moment West worried that he had woken her up. God, she was beautiful. Especially in her sleep, he thought. Her blonde hair, which was now waist length, was spread out all around her, and her face had a very serene look on it, far from the face she had on when she was awake. 

At this point in time, West couldn't say that he loved her anymore. Oh, no question, West would always love her, in the back of his heart. But he wasn't the type of man who spent his life dwelling on one woman he could not have. Even so, he still remembered telling her words so important, so long ago. 'I loved you since I first saw you in the tavern.' 

It was an annoying thought. West shook his head, and rose. Taking his bow and several arrows with him, he began to walk down the long corridors. 

Despite with all the women he had been with, he had never mentioned the word love. Many of them had been as beautiful as Anniya, and more. West couldn't even begin to wonder why she had affected him like this. He knew that he hadn't been the first, and wouldn't be the last. 

He sensed something behind him. West knew by the footsteps that the person was tall, and then most likely Robert. 

" I owe you an apology," the deep voice said quietly. West suppressed a harsh laugh. That was perhaps the underestimate of the century. Robert shouldn't of followed him. West was restless, angry, and looking for a fight. 

" Oh no, Robert. You did your job, like I asked you. You just did it too well," West told him, his voice light, yet freezing. 

" West, we were going to tell you soon. I had no idea, when you found us.......," Robert abruptly dropped the sentence. West closed his eyes. He didn't want to think about that kiss. 

"I don't care at this point, what happened a few nights ago. I am, however, curious to know, if you remember to tell her what I said. Do you remember," West told him, sounding simply amused. 

Robert had been raised in court. He was born to tell lies. But it was hard to lie to a liar, and so West looked for the signs. 

" West, by the time I got your letter, I-,"

" Take your bloody time before you lie to me. I don't care how closely related we are. It's not going to mean a damn thing if you lie to me." 

Robert didn't slip, but his temper did. 

" West, for god's sake, come to terms with it! I'm bloody sorry this all happened, but neither of us can do anything to change it! Besides, you and John changed whore's every week, and you especially! I thought I was protecting her-," 

That was all Robert would ever say before West threw the first punch at him. It came so sudden that Robert didn't have time to react, and if he had, it wouldn't of made much of a difference. Robert had been trained in the fine arts of combat: fencing, archery, etc. West had trained on the streets. 

Robert slammed on to the ground, but rolled to the side and was back on his feet, just before West was. Robert's expression abruptly changed, and he threw a punch, and this time it hit West directly in his rib cage, promising a bruise big and painful. West swore, momentarily losing his concentration. Robert threw another punch, throwing West into the wall. Robert pinned him against it. 

" You crazy fool! What the hell do you think your doing," Robert hissed. West glared at him cooly, letting him talk. Let his strength replenish for a moment. 

" And don't talk about Anniya, how sweet and wonderful you are to her. You can't even tell her the truth. You can't even tell her who you really are," West spat, getting angrier by the minute. Robert's eyes darkened, a storm brooding in them. 

" And perhaps your one to talk? If we want to talk about identities, West, wouldn't that be you, to talk? I didn't ask to be born! It was me who found you after all that time, wasn't it? You yourself didn't want to come back to the palace!"

" Well, well. Our little reasons have changed, haven't they? I have no desire to take what is now rightfully yours, Robert." He was not talking about Anniya. " It's you who's terrified that someone will find out, and someone will rise against you. They've forgotten about me, Robert, so I don't know what your obsessing about now. Actually, I do. I do know what your obsessing about now, Robert. You're bloody terrified that Anniya will find out, and then she'll come back to me. If she's that shallow, which she isn't, you can have her." 

Robert's eyes flashed once again. 

" Terrified? Terrified? West, you cannot come to terms with what happened over twenty years ago. You may think what you will, but don't try to bring Anniya into this." 

West let out a harsh laugh. 

" Both of us love her, don't we? That is perhaps the first thing we've agreed on besides archery in our lives. That makes her involved, Robert," West told Robert, his voice cool and relaxed as ever, as it was the way with West. 

Robert had been pushed to the end. " Tell me, then. After that time you left us, when you tried to take the dragon. Tell me that you didn't go to a single other woman? Because I know you did, West. The reason you want Anniya so much is because she doesn't want you anymore. The one woman you've ever wanted who is too good for you. John was the exactly the same......"

Robert had been treading on dangerous ground. West's honor was fiercer then any other man alive, even in his career of thievery. It had been dangerous talking about Anniya. It was the final straw to insult his best friend. His dead best friend. 

All the anger rushed in. When it came down to it, Robert and West were nearly equal in hand to hand combat. Nearly. Because when it came right down to it, West had a slight advantage. A slight advantage, but never less an advantage. 

West pulled back his arm, and with all of his force, drove a punch to Robert directly between the eyes. 

The punch was harder then the first one had been. The sound of West's knuckles hitting Robert's skull was amazing. Robert stumbled back, holding his head. West had a moment of doubt and concern. He underestimated his own strength too often. 

Robert put one hand on the wall to steady himself.

" Hit me again, West. No matter what you do, it won't change what happened," Robert said, his voice strained with pain. He turned and walked away. Not confidently, but still with an unimaginable grace that one shouldn't have after being punched in the face. 

West watched him walk away.

~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~ 

" Quite charming, if I may so myself, your majesty. You're wife is quite a splendid decorator," Count Frederick Di Fallon told King Jerrold and Queen Daria, sipping his glass of wine.

Personally, he thought it to be a bit overwhelming, but that wouldn't get him anything if he said it. The Hall was large, larger then the Count's own hall. Every wall was covered with tapestries: hunting scenes, court scenes, pastoral scenes. Along the walls were lines of marble pillars that marched to the end of the hall. Flowers engulfed the place. 

The Queen smiled, and quietly replied to him. " Thank you, Frederick. But I can hardly credit myself when it was your idea to have this ball!," she said beaming. Frederick smiled at her simplicity. Perhaps this was why he had never looked at another woman afterwards.......

" Yes, one of your better ideas indeed, Frederick! It's about time Char settles down and finds himself a wife. I can't keep ruling forever!," King Jerrold boomed, laughing. 

Frederick joined in the laughter, thinking how all too true the King's words were. He was right, about not ruling forever. Which was why Frederick would have to take the burden from him. 

" Oh, there's Char! He hasn't seen you in several fortnights! Char, over here," the Queen called, her face lighting up at the sight of her son. When her face lit up, Frederick could see how someone might think she was beautiful. A simple fool, perhaps. Then again, that's what Jerrold was. Only slightly more complex. 

The Prince's head turned at the sound of his name. As he strode over, the Count studied him. He was tall, like his Father, and had the same tawny curls and swarthy skin. He had the slightest bit of freckles, surprising on his face. The Count assumed that had come from Daria. His voice was deep, like his Father's as well. 

" Mother, Father. Count Frederick," Char greeted them, not sounding enthusiastic at all. The Count carefully noted the Prince's face of uncomfort as he glanced around at all of the decorations. The Count swept the Prince a bow before more could be said. 

" My majesty," he said, then stood up. Yes, it would be very easy indeed getting rid of the prince. Very easy indeed. 

After an hour of making more polite conversation, the Count excused himself, saying he had a previous engagement. Which he did. With that, he had began the journey back to his manor. It was isolated, the closest manor being the palace. It indeed had enough splendor to match the palace, only it was more dark. And silent.

The Count was in the parlor within a few moments. Dressed in a dark cloak, TSSal of Mniqa could of passed for a man. But men didn't grow to be ten feet tall. The Count took off his riding gloves, and went to close the door. He didn't bother to lock it. His servants knew better then to come in, for any reason. 

"Well? Have you seen them," he asked the ogre angrily. It was too close to the time of the ball to afford any mess ups. Like not knowing where the girl and the man were.

" We had track of them in the forest. But then, they just disappeared. We saw the girl's dragon, but didn't attempt to recapture it. There are several of my tribe following it, though." 

The Count nodded, and stroked his mustache. Disappeared. 

" We suspect that it is magic, but we do not know for certain," the ogre chief slurred, twirling a greasy black lock of his hair. The Count agreed with him.

" Not suspect. It is bloody magic. Well, very well. Double the count of ogres you have looking for them then. Keep tracking the dragon, but do not harm it. The dragon's going to the girl. All that we have to do is sit tight and wait. Is that all?" 

The ogre chief nodded, and the Count smiled. 

" Very well then. Just make sure you are here the night of the first ball." 

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I was going to cut this off at 3 pages, but I went all the way to 5( I'm very proud of myself). I finally gave in to what everyone wanted to happen( Having Robert and West beat the crap out of each other). Only a few days left till the ball...................

  
  


Thanks for reviewing!! Keep it up!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	31. Chapter 30

  
  


Anniya

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Esperanza, the only one isolated from the events that had destroyed Anniya, West, and Robert's friendship, gazed suspiciously at the two men. Somehow, in the time that she and Anniya had been sleeping, they had both managed to 'trip and fall.' 

" Must of been quite a stumble, to make your nose bleed and leave such a gigantic bruise on your face," Esperanza marked innocently as she gathered the blankets with Robert. Robert met her eyes for a moment, and Esperanza knew that she had guessed right. While she and Anniya were sleeping, West and Robert had gotten into a fist fight. 

Luckily, Anniya had no idea of the conversation. She was too busy gathering all of the belongings together. Esperanza looked at West, who had developed a limp as well as a grimace whenever he bent over. In addition, neither man would so much as look at the other one. Yes, there had definitely been a fight. 

They didn't really have a choice of where to go; they simply walked forward. It was tiring for work, even for the men. The cave was small and narrow, and at first Esperanza had thought it her imagination that it was getting smaller. But when Anniya finally remarked about how tall she felt, Esperanza concluded that, indeed, the ceiling and the walls were closing in. 

For the first time, she suddenly wondered if there was a way out of this place. They were no longer in the ancient tree they had started out in. It, they had come to conclude, was merely an entrance for a deep tunnel that would lead them to god knows where. Occasionally, Esperanza thought she heard footsteps in the distance, but she dismissed it as her over reactive imagination. God knows I have one, she thought as they plodded on. 

Esperanza was also wondering how Anniya knew how to read the runes on the tree. She herself didn't have a bloody idea what language it was. If Anniya hadn't been there, she would of taken them for scratch marks. 

They traveled like that for the next day and a half. No one really spoke, so weary they were from exhaustion. On the first half of the second day, Esperanza dropped back to walk with Anniya. Her much smaller friend's face was paled, but Esperanza could sense that it wasn't from exhaustion. 

" What's the matter? Indeed, We're all suffering from the smell of rat dung, but you like that's not the only problem on your mind," she said cheerfully , in attempt to raise Anniya's spirits. It worked. Anniya smiled, showing her white, even teeth. 

" The stench is probably coming from me. I haven't taken a bath since.....since.......," her voice faltered as she failed to remember.

Esperanza laughed, and slowed her pace even more. Robert and West were now a good twenty feet ahead of them. 

" Seriously. What's the matter?" 

Anniya glanced around the steadily getting smaller tunnel, and then shook her head. 

" You know, this sounds really strange........But I feel like I've been here before." 

" Have you?" 

Anniya shook her head violently. " No! Of course not! We must be nearing the middle of the Fens! What would I be doing in the middle of the Fens?" 

Esperanza shrugged her shoulders. " Sniffing rat dung, for starters. Don't worry. If you've been in the woods by yourself at night, then the feeling is probably pretty natural."

Anniya nodded slightly, and Esperanza knew she wasn't convinced. 

Three days before the ball , they reached an entry way. 

It had happened just as Esperanza was at her final straw. She was tired, she was hungry, and she was sleepy. Which was why she was more then upset when they came to a dead end. 

Robert stared at it for a moment. The rest of the group stood in silence. Then he turned around. 

" Let's start walking back."

Esperanza stared at him for one full second before letting free a temper that rivaled Anniya's. 

" Are you telling me that we have been walking for god knows how many days to find a dead end!," she shrieked, her voice bouncing off the cavern walls. 

Anniya was silent, as was everyone else. That only managed to annoy Esperanza further. 

" I hope you all know that we don't have enough food to get back! I hope you k now were all going to die and become.....become......stuff on the ground! You can turn around and go back, but I am not moving a foot from this place! I don't care if I have to kick my way through," she screamed again, and kicked the wall to prove her point. 

To everyone's surprise, the wall disappeared. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Esperanza, more bloody surprised then the rest of them, lost her balance, and fell through, landing in a forest that looked as ordinary as any other one would. In all technicality, it was Anniya who first stepped out into the forest. 

It looked as if any other forest would. The trees were tall and swift, not eerily ancient like they had been in the other forest, with mist hanging over. There was a brook bubbling in the distance, and somewhere in the distance, a bird sang a song. They had passed the second part of the Fens completely underground. 

And yet the moment Anniya stepped into it, a wave of horror washed over her, because she knew where she was. 

Without hesitating, she suddenly broke into the fastest sprint she could. No one tried to stop her, luckily. Anniya didn't think at this point anyone could hold her back. After countless years, she had finally arrived at the place that Anniya had thought would only come back to her in her darkest nightmares. 

She was at the place her parents had been slaughtered. 

The clearing seemed like any other. The same, cheerful brook bubbled along happily. There was no lack of noise. Sunshine streamed down. And yet this place wasn't like any other. 

Anniya was walking along the edges of the clearing when she spotted something. The tree she had hidden in. A dirty, ancient piece of material was snagged on it. Anniya picked it up, and despite all of the years, recognized that it had been the exact thing her mother had been wearing that day. 

Why did I have to survive? Why did the ogres find me? It's not like a tree was a complex hiding place only the genius can find, Anniya thought silently. The answer came to her immediately. 

She knew why now. She would of not known a year ago, but Anniya was dead certain what had saved her from certain death. 

Her mother's necklace had somehow shielded her from the ogres view. If Anniya hadn't been wearing it at that moment, if her mother hadn't given it to her, Anniya would of been killed along with her Father. And it would of been her mother who lived to this day, not her. 

Everything was mixed up now. Anniya had thought that she had been in the elves forest, but she knew that it was now impossible. What had her parents been doing in the Fens? 

" This place has memories for you, doesn't it," Robert said quietly, making her jump. She hadn't even realized that he was behind her. Anniya nodded shortly, and turned her head. 

" This is the place where my parents died," she said, the words feeling strange on her tongue. 

It was unknown where West and Esperanza were at that moment. But Anniya and Robert merely remained standing there, not talking nor moving. Anniya finally said something to Robert.

" How far is it to Frell?"

" Day's ride."

" Then let us make haste."

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**** Author's note*** Your probably wondering why I spent so much time describing the Fens if I wasn't going to go more in depth with it. I'm just preparing ya'll for my next fic..............

Oh, and by the way, Anniya is over 110 pages for anyone who cares!! And by the way, If any of you people feel an urge to read something while I'm not posting more on Anniya, please go look at Mermaid in the fairy tale section. I personally think it has a better story line then Anniya, but you'll have to see that for yourself, won't you!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Anniya

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" West, I don't care what you say! There must be some other way to get what we need without stealing," Anniya told the golden haired thief, exasperated. 

They had arrived at Frell in the dead of night, with buckets of rain pouring from the sky . There was only one remaining day before the ball began, and they still didn't plan. Unless standing on a dark street corner huddled together counted for something. 

" Anniya, I agree with West. Now we could go about this in an honest way, but that would mean begging. And it'll take awhile to beg enough money," Esperanza put in, siding with West. All of their voices were strained in order to be heard over the rain. Anniya glared at her as Robert voiced his opinion. Esperanza pretended not to notice, and toyed with her earring. 

" I agree with Anniya. There must be some other way to go about this besides stealing and begging," Robert spoke, but his voice was oddly calm. Anniya frowned. She knew that Robert and West had fought back in the cave, but she had thought they solved the problem. Robert's voice was hostile, and Anniya got the feeling the only reason he was agreeing with her was because West disagreed. West never was afraid to speak his mind, she thought silently. 

" Consider your options, Robert. Unless anything else presents itself in the near future, stealing would be the fastest and the most reliable," West snapped, not bothering to disguise his anger. 

Anniya saw what was happening, and laid a hand on both of the men.

" Fine. We will steal," she said shortly.

West's fists visibly relaxed, as did Robert's. Anniya exchanged a glance between Esperanza. West spoke. 

" Alright, here's the plan. Two of us will go get a room at an inn, to stay the night and prepare for the ball tomorrow. Myself and another one of you will come with me to the nearest manor we can find. Anniya, you should probably come. You're the smallest." 

Anniya nodded, although she wished West had chosen someone else. But she was the only one who had worked with him before, in the way of thievery. A wry smile came to her lips as she remembered screaming about the coming of ogres. 

" Where will we meet," Esperanza asked, glancing around at their surroundings before answering her own question. " The River Breeze. We'll go over the plans to stop the count while your gone." 

West nodded, giving her his approval. " We should be back within a few hours. Under no circumstances come looking for us." 

Robert glanced at Anniya one last time, and then nodded his head as well. He took Esperanza by the arm and led her off into the inn, leaving Anniya with West.

" Follow me," he told her simply, and started off. Anniya followed him hesitantly. As she had noticed before, West could walk a great deal faster then her. She had never realized that he had slowed purposely so she could keep up. 

Hardly anyone was on the streets, it was so late. The occasional scurry of a mouse, the wind here and there, but for the most part, no one. West's silence made it even more annoying. 

Perhaps I should say something, Anniya thought. But what could she say? Once again West, I'm sorry about Robert and me? But Anniya had a suspicious feeling that would only anger West again, so she kept quiet. 

Right outside the town was when Anniya spotted the manor. It was tall and magnificent looking, and very familiar. Anniya frowned as they crept around the gate. Where had she seen it before? 

" West! Does this look-,"

" Shhhh!" 

" No one's out here, I will not Shhhh! There is something familiar about this place-," Anniya began angrily, and stopped short when West turned around to glare at her. 

" Thank you," he said shortly after her silence, and began to fiddle with the lock on the gate. 

Anniya's heart gave a slight pang at the rebuke, but she brushed it off as she recognized the place where she was. 

" West! This is Hattie's manor!"

The confusion on his face reminded Anniya that West hadn't the bloodiest idea of who Hattie was. But Anniya hadn't forgotten the painful incident of being left behind in the market place. 

But perhaps that was a good thing. And despite all of the harmful things that had been going on in Anniya's life, and despite the fact that there was a possibility that she might die the following night, Anniya smiled. 

She knew exactly what she was going to do to get even with Hattie. 

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Esperanza, the only one isolated from the events that had managed to twist up Anniya, Robert, and West's friendship, was not as dumb as she appeared to be. 

She had watched from the outrageously small window in their room, the night when the three friends' "fight" had occured. She had seen West storm off, Anniya run after him, and Robert head back toward the inn entrance. From the little Esperanza had seen, she had come to the conclusion that it was a love triangle, one that Anniya should of had the sense to stay out of. She had also realized that the only way to switch this love story back to an action plan was to get them on the road to Frell, which had managed to happen. But finally, they were here, and West and Anniya were stealing them the supplies which would get them victory at the ball. But until then, she was stuck at the inn. 

Which was exactly why Esperanza was in the front tavern, ordering a drink. She spotted Robert across the room, sitting at a table by himself. His attempts to be incognito were fairly good. He was so unshaven and unclean, Esperanza would of laughed if someone had told her he was a prince. She made her way through the crowd and sat down at his table. 

" Will he be back soon," she asked Robert curiously, studying his face to look at his reaction. 

Robert gave a grim smile. 

" Anniya will be back. West will probably go back to hell."

He left it at that. Esperanza paused for several moments, hoping he'd go on. He didn't. 

" I, uh, don't mean to pry, but what exactly is going on," she asked innocently, already knowing the answer to the question. Or at least she thought she did.

Robert sighed, but spoke. " I have had the idiocy to fall in love with the same girl my cousin has. It's about the only thing we've ever agreed on. He's a thief, I'm a prince, she's a.... I don't know what Anniya is...."

It was in his last sentence Robert said something that sparked Esperanza's interest.

" Wait. How are you a Prince if West's a thief?"

Robert studied Esperanza for a moment. 

" You do not want to know. I wish I did not know. You must understand that if I tell you this, you will have a secret that could slaughter a thousand lives. It will have to be a secret you will take to your grave. And you must never under any circumstances tell Anniya. Give me your word," he said, slurring the words slightly. 

Esperanza frowned. The atmosphere had changed drastically. She leaned in closer and nodded, for the first time smelling the whiskey on his breath. He was drunk. It made sense. Esperanza doubted Robert would be sharing a secret like this other wise. 

" I give you my word."

Robert nodded, and started his tale. 

" I haven't been to Kellia for half a year. This was to be my last year of freedom before I took the throne. That's why I haven't been in Kellia," he began.

" I had a fiancé. She died a while a back, and that's when Anniya and I.....," he trailed off, seeming to forget what he was to say. Robert shook his head.

" No.....that's not where it starts. It starts with the king, my father. Before I was born. It was before the Kellian revolution, before the revolts were under control. My father was a good king, and on good terms with Kyrria, even then. He married old, to a beautiful girl young enough to be his daughter. The girl had been from the highest class of nobility. The King loved her very much; too much. Money that should of been spent building roads was spent building palace gardens for her, and much more. The King called her the soul of Kellia, although she was a soul that sucked the kingdom dry of it's coins. She had many miscarriages, but at last had a son. The King wanted to keep it a secret, and wait to till the tenth of March, the independence day when Kellia freed itself of one of the worst Ogre clans ever seen."

Robert talked as if he were far away, as if he were telling a good tale. 

" For some, the kingdom was happy. But there are always those who are unsatisfied with a king's rule, and there was no exception to this one. A group of angry barons and their hundreds of vassals attacked the castle one night, when the child was just one year old. The Baron's cornered the three in the banquet hall. They didn't want to usurp the throne though; all that the baron's wanted was to rid the kingdom of the 'sorcerer' queen. Much of the kingdom believed she had bewitched the king, and the only way to break the spell was to dispose of her." 

" The Queen was slaughtered at that very spot, with a quick whip of the sword. They never found out who organized the killing....perhaps it is just as well that the incident lies buried. The boy was taken away, so that none would ever find him and he might live. The king remarried and the queen was put in the past."

Robert paused. Esperanza studied him carefully, hesitating for a moment before speaking. 

" It was your mother, wasn't it," she said quietly. 

Robert's eyes locked with Esperanza's. 

" No. It was West's mother."

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**** Author's note*** Your probably wondering why I spent so much time describing the Fens if I wasn't going to go more in depth with it. I'm just preparing ya'll for my next fic..............

Oh, and by the way, Anniya is over 110 pages for anyone who cares!! And by the way, If any of you people feel an urge to read something while I'm not posting more on Anniya, please go look at Mermaid in the fairy tale section. I personally think it has a better story line then Anniya, but you'll have to see that for yourself, won't you!

  
  


P.s- that West is the crown prince is the thing Robert and he were fighting over, to those of you who are a bit slow. The rest of the chapter except that part was kind of in shambles, since I was eager to get to it and write it( but hey, you can't blame me, I've been planning this for six months now). Don't worry, the ball chapter will be MUCH better. 


	32. Chapter 31

Anniya

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* Important author's note!!!!* 

Ok, I really hate to do this guys, but I've become desperate. I've asked nicely, I've begged, but as usual people just run over me * grins*. Sooooooo.........I've brought down the bat. Anniya is coming to a halt until I get more reviews on Mermaid. Is this blackmail? Yes. Am I serious? Yes. Is everyone who's reading this mad at me? Yes. * grins.*. thanks guys! Now onto the story.

****************************************************************************** Now it was only Anniya, of the four, who had no idea of Robert and West's connection. She was too busy marveling at the shadowy hall ways, and the decorative stain glass windows. As she and West crept past a room, Anniya happened to glance inside. A flood of memories came back to her. that was the place where Dame Olga had held her cotillion, and she had first danced with Robert. and where she had first tried chocolate.

Both memories brought a smile to Anniya's lips. The memory of the cotillion once again brought the memory of Hattie back into Anniya's mind. She grinned once again, thinking over her plan. She had remembered what Robert had told her about Hattie's hair awhile back. But what Anniya didn't know was how unbelievably similar her plan was to another girl who had wished to get back at Hattie, not so long ago...........

" Where are you going," West asked her under his breath as Anniya veered right. Anniya mouthed the word Hattie, forgetting once again that West had no recognition of the word 'Hattie.'

" I'll be back in a few moments," she whispered back, and left him with that explanation. She ran silently through the house. 

It was something that often amazed people, including herself. When she wanted to, Anniya could be remarkably quiet, even while running. It was odd, especially when quiet was the exact opposite of her. 

Anniya paused right outside Hattie's door way. she knew that what she was about to do was childish, and certainly uncalled for. But Hattie had caused so many things to go wrong. If Hattie hadn't abandoned Anniya that day in the market place, West and John would of never been taken prisoner. John would still be alive. Anniya would of stayed in Frell and would of been able to give the evidence to the King. 

It might of still happened. The outcome might of been worse. But all in all, Hattie had caused, though not directly, a death of a friend. And what she was about to do was hardly West-like; she wasn't going to murder Hattie in her sleep. Although no court would probably convict Anniya( they'd probably give her a reward for doing them such a service), Anniya had no desire to end the wretched girls life. 

Well, at least not Hattie's social life. 

With those last thoughts, Anniya slid into Hattie's room. 

The room was just as elaborate as Anniya expected it to be. The numerous rugs on the ground were colorfully gaudy, not matching anything else in the room. The bed was a soft pink, with veils hanging all about. There were several mirrors in it, as well as a large wooden desk with fairies carved into it. the fire place roared, and above it was a portrait of Hattie herself. Anniya studied it with amusement. The artist had obviously exaggerated Hattie's features. The portrait showed a lovely girl with a straight nose, numerous golden curls, and straight teeth. The girl in the portrait contrasted sharply with Anniya's memory of her. 

A loud, harsh noise suddenly came from the opposite corner of the room. Anniya jumped and whirled around, prepared to defend herself. Her fists relaxed when she saw that it was only the girl in question, snoring loudly. 

Cautiously, Anniya walked carefully over to Hattie, mumbling in her sleep. As much as she hated to, Anniya silently called to the wig. She couldn't afford to touch Hattie; she might wake her. A soft green light came over the wig, and it rose off the girl's head and flew into Anniya's waiting hand. She grinned, and walked carefully over to the fire, about to do the exact same thing another girl had once considered doing. 

" I hope you find one before tonight's ball, Hattie," Anniya told the sleeping girl. She dropped the wig into the fire. 

To Anniya's complete surprise, the fire roared up, and a particularly bad smell started flowing from it. Anniya looked around wildly. This wasn't suppose to happen!

Hattie shifted in her sleep, then yawned. 

She's waking up, Anniya realized, suddenly terrified. She didn't bother to contemplate why this hair brained girl could possibly bring her stress when a fire breathing dragon couldn't. Although Hattie did have teeth that could rival a dragon's. 

In desperation, Anniya darted into the closet and threw herself behind a mound of dresses just as Hattie opened her eyes. Anniya held her breath as the girl's eyes darted from corner to corner. Then, in one loud voice, she called.

" Ella! Ella! Get up here this instant you dirty creature! Been sneaking about in my room, have you," Hattie snapped, oblivious of her missing wig. 

The name Ella struck a bell, but Anniya couldn't remember where she had heard it from. She hoped that West had managed to find himself some place to hide. Anniya burrowed back further in the mounds of dresses. To her surprise, emerald green silk brushed her cheek. It was from her gown, the one that she had borrowed from Hattie so long ago, for that time she had danced with Robert. 

" Yes," a tired, fairly annoyed voice coming from the door answered. Anniya parted the dresses to see a tall, dark haired servant girl in rags. Her face was smudged with soot, and Anniya liked her just from seeing the annoyed expression on her face. Clearly Anniya was not the only one who wished Hattie gone from the world. 

" You were sneaking around in my room again, weren't you, you wretched piece of filth," Hattie sneered. The servant girl's expression changed from annoyed to amused as she saw that Hattie's wig was gone. 

" And what is that atrocious smell," Hattie continued, sniffing the air. Anniya couldn't contain herself, and let out a small giggle. 

Hattie was too busy moaning about the insolence of her servants and the smell of the room to hear Anniya, but the servant girl had. The servant girl's gaze switched to the closet and met Anniya's green eyes with green eyes of her own. 

Anniya stared back stupidly. She would be able to run faster then either of the girls, she should run for it now. How could she have been so stupid? 

Just as Anniya was ready to burst out of the closet, the servant girl's eyes switched back to Hattie, and feigned horror. 

" My lady! Your hair," she cried. 

The little color in Hattie's face was sucked dry. Shaking, she slowly turned to look in the mirror. The scream shook the household. 

" My hair! My hair! Oh my hair! Where is it, Ella you wretched little slut! My hair," Hattie wailed. Her sharp eyes switched to the fire place, and she screamed again. 

" Not my hair! Not the fire! My hair! My hair! Get it out, Ella, get it out," Hattie screeched, racing toward the fire. Her attention was completely off Anniya. 

At that moment, the servant girl's eyes turned back to Anniya, and she gave a slight nod. 

Anniya wondered why the girl was letting her get away. The servant girl would obviously be punished. But Anniya still took the chance. Snatching her green gown and another blue one off the hook, she peered out the edge of the door. Even Hattie wouldn't be able to miss two large ball gowns going out the door. 

But at that moment, Hattie chose to provide a wonderful distraction.

In all of her hysteria, Hattie had managed to catch her night gown on fire. 

" Save me! I'm going to die, I'm going to die," Hattie screeched, and ending with a wordless shriek of despair. Anniya darted out the door way as Hattie whirled around like a frightened mouse. 

Don't let me be seen, Anniya thought, and felt her magic pulsing. She cursed herself, wondering why she hadn't done it earlier. Servants rushed passed her, unaware of the magic guarding her from sight, and onto the shrieks of agony coming from Hattie. 

" What's it going to be this week, a mouse? Perhaps a spider," one man said sarcastically to another. Anniya smiled, and hurried on down stairs. 

West darted out from the shadows, searching wildly. He was carrying two suits, and several bags of gelds. He looked angry; being West, he had probably figured out why the house was in chaos now. But after a moment, he relaxed. 

" Follow me, Anniya. I'll have to lecture you later," he grumbled, and ran swiftly to the door. Anniya frowned; how had he known she was there? Never the less, she hurried after him, leaving the wailing shrieks from Hattie behind. 

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A feeling of relief swept through Robert as Esperanza's jaw dropped open. After so many long years, the secret was finally out. West was the legitimate crown prince of Kellia. Robert was second born. 

As soon as he had met this Esperanza girl, he had known that it wasn't long until she found out the truth. Anniya, having grown up in the wild all of her life, couldn't be expected to know that Princes and thieves could not be related. 

Robert had been told by his Father about West when he was fifteen. That West was the real heir, and Robert would of never been born if not for a particular incident. It had disturbed Robert to know that the true prince of Kellia and his brother was out there, never knowing who he was. So Robert had set out on a quest to find West. And he had, two years before they had met Anniya. He had never told his Father. And as for West.....West had taken it well. When Robert had found West, he had been robbing for five years. West had liked what he did, and at first Robert had been almost envious of him. West had seemed like he had it all: Money, women, and always living on the edge. He didn't have an obligations, no duties as Robert had. 

So they had become more friends then brothers. But as Robert came closer to the time he would ascend the throne, the rift had spread. A prince could not be friends with a thief; even if that thief was his half-brother. Even if that thief should of been prince instead of him. 

Robert closed his eyes, and shook his head. Guilt had always racked into him when he thought of West. He still hated to think of how both of them were lying to Anniya. Beautiful, wild, Anniya, for all her willfulness, was still completely naive to the dealings of men in the world. But she didn't even know that West's name wasn't West.

Arien Westkander Di Calixte the third could of been heir to one of the most powerful countries in the world. Now, all records of him had been erased. The people of Kellia had assumed that he had been killed along with his mother. No one thought that he might of been whisked away to a peasant family and called West for short. No one but Robert and West himself. At least that was what Robert believed to be true. 

" So your telling me that you're a bloody phony," Esperanza demanded. Robert stared at her for a moment, then laughed. Yes, this girl knew how to make a bad situation worse. 

" I am through talking to you," he told her, and stood up. She leaped up as well, nearly his height. 

" I don't think so! If your going to tell me something, it'd be lovely if I could get the entire story," Esperanza shot back. 

Robert looked at her for a moment, the aberrant beauty she was, and wondered what it would be like to kiss her. The thought immediately shocked him. He loved Anniya, and that was plain and simple. If Anniya was in the room, he never even looked at the beautiful gypsy girl. Robert rubbed his head. He was extremely drunk. 

" Look at me! I have swore that I won't tell a soul! Are you saying that West is your brother," Esperanza demanded again. Robert looked down into her furious blue eyes, flecked with green. In some respects, she was more beautiful.........................

At that moment Anniya and West burst into the inn. As he had thought, the mere glance of Anniya swept Esperanza away from his mind. Anniya held two ball gowns, while West held two suits as well as a passel of other things. Luckily, there were only a few other people in the inn downstairs, and they took no interest in the unusual pair. 

" We'll have to alter the gowns a bit, but you and West should be about fine. We have everything, from slippers to gelds to-," Anniya began, out of breath from running. 

" Do you have an invitation," Esperanza broke in.

Robert laughed. " I'm a friend of the family. They'll let us in." He shot her a glare as she opened her mouth to obviously say something about princes. Esperanza realized her mistake, and changed the subject. 

" Well then. We have a ball to prepare for, don't we." 

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The entire following day was bent on preparing for the ball. Their plan had been made; Anniya would go and tell Char, since she would be the most inconspicious. Robert would keep the Count in conversation, while West and Esperanza would keep look out for anything suspicious. Until that night, they would prepare. 

Robert and West prepared in the morning; they did not take much time. Anniya saw Robert only briefly and West not at all as they went to find a carriage and spare weapons around one o'clock. They would meet the two girls at the ball, and would send a carriage to get them. That left Anniya, Esperanza, and two ball gowns. 

Both girls stared at the dresses on the beds. Neither one of them were accustomed to the finery. Anniya finally spoke. 

" I guess I'll take the green one," she said, reaching for it. Esperanza nodded, and grabbed the blue one. 

After she dressed, Anniya examined herself in the mirror before turning to Esperanza.

" Do you think we should of bathed first?" 

Esperanza swore, being even less lady like then Anniya. Anniya merely laughed at her friend, and went to request bath water. 

Yes, they did have a ball to prepare for. 

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Next chapter is the first BALL!!!!!!!! As this story is winding down to an end, there's going to be a lot of romance( Robert or West?), A LOT of action, death( yeah, a tear jerkers coming up), and final answer to Anniya's past--Why were her parents killed, and what were they doing in the Fens? 

Ohh, and and at last, we'll see someone that people have been bugging for me to bring into the story......................

But remember, you may have to wait a verrryyy lonnngggg time if I don't get more reviews for Mermaid. *sigh* yes, I know, I'm evil. 

  
  



	33. Chapter 32

*** Author's note on Blackmail***

  
  


Whoah........As I have been slaughtered by a couple angry readers, I'd like to clear things up. First of all, before I post a chapter, I always have at least 2 pages of the next one that I NEVER post. I do this so I can see if I can keep my characters in line after an incident has happened, and so I can see how my reviewers respond. 

Ok............so now we're all thinking what does this have to do with blackmail? Well, put yourself in my position( I understand that this next part sounds totally conceited, and I agree. But there's really no other way to put it.) I have nearly half a thousand reviews on Anniya, which thrills me to death. However, I also have several other fics that people are begging me to finish. But as I have so many of you loyal guys on Anniya, I have ignored 'Escape from Tyra', 'Mermaid', and ' Encounters with my enemy Cleon' for nearly a year. Until recently, I decided to continue mermaid as several more recent reviewers were asking me to. I agree with one reviewer, who told me like it was: just because someone likes a certain story doesn't mean they like everything by that author, and it's pretty low of me to try and force it on someone. But, as I've said, I have a lot of reviews on my other fics. It'd be a lot more convenient to work on two stories at once, at least for me. I asked you guys to read ' Mermaid' because it was not only a fantasy, like this one, but also a story that several other Anniya reviewers liked, and vice versa. I figured if I could get a few more Anniya reviewers to read Mermaid, I could divide up my time between the two of them and make everyone happy. Understand that even if no one reviewed Mermaid, I would still post up the next chapter for Anniya. And I will say once again, that I although I can't make everyone happy, I have to try. Put yourself in my position; I don't think anyone can honestly say that if you had nearly half a thousand reviews( I'm sorry, that does sound conceited.), and then 30 on another one, but with people who really wanted you to continue, you would probably do the same thing I did. 

Alright, well I hope that clears up everything. I hope that didn't come off evil sounding( I have a tendency to do that). I don't plan on doing it again. 

And keep this in mind: someone said something along the lines of that I was being pretty mean to my reviewers for Anniya, especially after you've all stuck with me for so long ( thanks guys!!). But please keep this in mind: I have kept this story up for over a year, sometimes not doing homework to bring up the next chapter, and snuck on when I'm not....*blushes*....suppose to be on, as well ignored all my other stories. So in conclusion I would like to say that although I have blackmailed you, I have stuck with this story through thick and thin. Asking you to read my other fic really isn't going to hurt; just don't read it and type 'great story' and click the send button; I'm not exactly holding a gun to your head. I also understand that this response may lose me quite a few reviewers, but I would like to make it clear that I put a lot of effort into this story, and asking to people to expand their horizons isn't much. To anyone I have offended, I apologize, and I sincerely do hope you will continue to review Anniya. Thank you for reading this. 

If I've been a conceited @#%#%* please feel free to tell me. Trust me, my brother will agree. : ^ ) -------- on to the next chapter.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


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Anniya

The First Ball: West 

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December 12th was the night of the first ball. The wind was biting and cold, and icy sheets of rain swept down the windows outside the palace. West was thankful that he was inside. The great hall was twice as high as most men's homes. Every wall was covered with tapestries of all kinds: court scenes, pastoral scenes, hunting scenes, battle victories. The walls were lined with humongous, towering marble pillars that marched to the end of the hall. Magnificent stain glass windows depicting the history of Kyrria glittered beautifully. 

Arien Westkander Di Calixte the third didn't know if Kellia's great hall was more elaborate; he could not remember the place where he was born. Although Robert had told him tales, West couldn't imagine anything more spectacular then the miracle of a place he was standing in now. 

" Why is it that you do not dance, milord," a pretty voice asked him.

West merely grinned as the slender red head called Rose asked him coyly. He thought to ask her the same question; she and her companions had been chatting with him so far the night. She had long since removed her mask, as West had done. He kept it close at hand though; the moment he saw the Count, it would go back on. 

" Well, there are several beautiful ladies I would love to have a gavotte with, but unfortunately I cannot. If only there were three of me," West told them, sipping his wine. 

The girls burst out into delicate laughter, and West grinned in spite of himself. The girl called Clara extended her hand. She was perhaps the most lovely of the three, and certainly the most self confident. 

" Well perhaps, my lord, you have not realized that there are quite a few gavottes. Perhaps you may dance with one of these ladies one at a time," Clara said smartly, fluttering her eyelashes. She was a great dealer shorter then him, tinier then Anniya, if it was possible. But just as graceful. 

West extended his hand, and swept her a bow. She in returned curtsied, and they went out to the dance floor. 

" Why do you hide such a handsome face with a mask," Clara questioned as West slid his mask over his face.

He couldn't risk being seen, even if the Count wasn't out here yet. He would certainly have connections, and one of them might recognize West. To cover up his discomfort of the subject, West forced a laugh. The girl smiled, thinking herself funny. 

" My lady, this is a masked ball. Are we not suppose to wear masks?," he told her confidently, and twirled her around. 

Clara laughed, and nodded. " I suppose, but we don't actually obey that rule. My Father and Mother have me at this ball to find myself a husband. How will I ever find one if I keep my face hidden behind a mask the entire time," Clara told him. She said it slowly and loudly, making sure that West knew she was unmarried. It brought yet another smile to West's lips. Despite he had never been in court( apart from his first two years), most assumed he was a lord they had never seen, when he was in proper clothing. 

" Mama wants me to marry the prince. But I disagree with her. What's wrong with a Lord," Clara continued, fluttering her absurdly long eyelashes once again. But West couldn't answer her. He was distracted by the girl who had just entered the hall. 

Nearly one third of the hall ways population turned to look at her. She wore that same green dress, with the flowing two foot train. Her emerald necklace on it's silver chain squarely in the center of her neck. Her skin had been scrubbed to look like porcelain. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold, and her lips were curved in a deep red smile. And in all of his days, it was the first time he had seen Anniya with her hair completely loose. Her long, wavy blonde hair cascaded to her waist. Sparkling emerald eyes glittered mischievously from behind a mask. She looked very much like the girl Robert had seen nearly a year ago, only more beautiful. This girl had been made tough, inside and out. Although Anniya had lost her innocence young, it had not shown at the cotillion. But after her hardships through the past year, it had now finally disappeared. The marks of a wishful childhood were gone, and a young woman was left in it's place.

Esperanza appeared behind her, and a beautiful vision in her own right. Her hair was also down, and although it was not as long as Anniya's, still made her look stunningly beautiful. The midnight blue matched perfectly with her dark hair. Despite the gypsy girl's smile, West could tell she was nervous. But West wasn't looking at Esperanza for more then a moment. His gaze held fast on Anniya. 

Never before had he seen her looking as beautiful as she did now. She scanned the room. Looking for me, and I'm dancing with a girl who has a turnip for a brain, West thought as Clara giggled on about the latest fashions. He snapped back to reality as he realized who she was really looking for: Robert. But that didn't matter. He had to remember the plan: he had to get Anniya to find Char. 

Clara, after several long minutes, had finally noticed that she was in a one person conversation. She turned her head slightly to follow West's gaze, and her pleasant expression immediately turned into a ugly face of hatred. 

" She can't be of noble blood. Probably the kitchen sweeper," Clara said snidely, her beauty diminishing quickly as she prepared an monologue of what exactly was wrong with Anniya. 

West forced another laugh, an art he had practiced. The lovely expression returned to her face, and West noticed some of the admiring faces of the women around him. All very beautiful, well off women who had been watching him for the better half of the evening. And there had to be an intelligent one in there. He shouldn't be thinking about Anniya. 

" Don't you notice the family resemblance! My little sister is never punctual, I'm afraid." 

Clara's expression turned to relief as she realized that the competition was eliminated. 

" Silly me! She looks exactly like you! The same nose, the same mouth, everything," the tiny woman bubbled on, making it hard for West to contain his laughter. He and Anniya, apart from their eyes, looked nothing alike. 

" Would you excuse me for a dance, my lady? I must dance once with my sister, she'd be saddened if I didn't. And I wouldn't want to put it off. I forget of everything else when I dance with you," West told her. Hopefully, he would get there before an entourage of lords did. Clara's face brightened at his last sentence, making him feel the slightest bit of guilt. He brushed it off. For god's sake, he was trying to save a country. He didn't have enough god damn time to observe the niceties of the female mind. 

West caught her eye at last. He nodded, and began making his way over to the woman he had unfortunately just fallen back in love with. 

~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~

  
  


" I'll go 'mingle' with the crowd, alright? You find West and double check on the plan," Esperanza whispered to Anniya. Both girls were completely unaware of the stares they were receiving. She nodded, and the gypsy girl disappeared into the crowd. 

Anniya busied herself with scanning the crowd, looking for Robert as well as West. Her eyes unfortunately settled on West first. He was dancing with a very short, yet beautiful girl. Very beautiful girl, from the way several men were looking at her. 

Anniya glared at them both, especially West. What was he doing dancing! There was going to be an assassination attempt, and here he was dancing with some girl! Quite obviously not doing his job. The way West was staring at........Clara, Anniya thought, finally remembering her name...., a dragon could fly through the room and he wouldn't notice it. 

" But who is that mysterious man? Must be a foreigner. But don't they make a charming couple!," Anniya overheard several older women whisper. 

" Not really," she muttered, more to herself, and began to look for Robert when West caught her eye. He lifted an eyebrow, and she nodded, although she was still mad at him. He continued dancing with the Clara thing for several more moments before breaking free of her and striding over towards Anniya. The dance changed to a sarabande, and so they began to dance. 

" Who is she," Anniya asked, a bit more sharply then she intended. 

" Clara of Frell, future Duchess and one of the richest unmarried girls in Frell. Why, jealous," West asked her, not missing a beat as he dipped her slightly. 

" I am not! Jealous of what, not dancing with a skunk!," Anniya retorted. 

West merely smiled, as if he didn't believe her. That annoyed her even more then words would. 

" It's true! Your overinflated ego has once again captured your mind West, and I suggest you pop it before I do it for you," Anniya continued, not about to be gotten the best of. 

West nodded absent mindley, still scanning the crowd. Anniya lowered her voice, but plastered a fake happy smile on her voice as she spoke. Let them think she was talking about the decorations. 

" Do you see him," she asked quietly. 

West shook his head. " He's not expected to make an appearance until later tonight. Do you have a knife, anything of that sort."

" Oh how could of that slipped my mind. I keep on forgetting how it is customary to bring murder weapons with me to a ball." 

" Stop the sarcasm," West told her, and smiled what Anniya could of swore was a genuine grin. " Stop asking silly questions."

" I would argue with that, but I think I'll let it drop. I have no wish to debate this with you all night, and I know you could make it last that long." 

Anniya laughed her pretty, bell tinkling laugh. For a moment she forgot about the danger she was placing herself in, and how utterly ridiculous it was to let up her guard like this. She wondered how anyone could plan a murder on such a beautiful, splendid night like this one. 

West tightened his grip on her firmly as they spun around. He steered her towards a corner, and Anniya wondered what he was going to do. After glancing around, he lowered his voice and spoke to her, still dancing all the while. 

" I'm going to slip you a knife. Act like we're talking about the weather." Anniya nodded, and kept on dancing. West moved closer to her, and then, in a lightning flashed motion, slid the knife up Anniya's sleeve. It was cool to the touch, and sharp as well. Knowing that she may have to use it sent a shiver up her spine. 

" Above all circumstances, do not let anyone see it. If the Count gets wind of it, he could easily commit the murder and then frame you. All that he has to do is pull you up in front of the court and rip your sleeve open. And they'd believe him, no question there," West told her quietly. 

Anniya didn't doubt him. " Where's Robert?"

" Wheeling and dealing with anyone he thinks the Count may be close to. So far, I've seen nothing suspicious. I suspect that the assassination won't take place until he's here. As much trust as the King and Queen put in him, I highly doubt that someone wouldn't be suspicious if he isn't here when it happens." 

Anniya nodded, and another question came to mind. " I should go find Char. Perhaps he'll believe me and we can stop this entire thing." 

West nodded, and released her immediately.

" Good luck," he told her, and turned to go back to Clara. 

Anniya stared at him as he left her, feeling abandoned. You have a job to do, she at last reminded herself, and walked quickly across the great hall. Char would be surprised to see her after so long.

She had to wait in line for awhile, which became aggravating. Nearly every lass in the kingdom had come to this ball, and she was behind a great many of them. Patience had not been a virtue Anniya was blessed with, and she resolved to scanning the crowd once again. 

Anniya frowned as her eyes settled on one girl. Her hair was as dark as Esperanza, and she was in a spring green gown embroidered with leaves of a darker green and plump yellow buds. She looked extremely familiar, but Anniya couldn't tell who she was. The girl was one of the few left wearing a mask. 

" What is your name, Lady," Char asked Anniya, bowing and not looking at her face. Anniya pitied him. How horrible it must be to have hordes of scheming girls and their mothers thrown on him. 

" I haven't seen you in awhile Char, but I must say I'm a bit offended. I would think you would remember me. Or should I say, Haelo," Anniya told him, her eyes sparkling. Her voice bore no trace of an accent, remarkable for the small amount of time Anniya had spent learning the language. 

Char looked up, startled. Taking one look at Anniya's mischievous grin, he laughed. Anniya liked his laugh. It had a nice, deep sound to it. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the masked girl look at her with annoyance. 

" I'm sorry. So many of these girls, I can't tell one from the other. At last someone who isn't scheming to marry me! I was wondering when I'd hear from you again. Your accent's gone." 

At this Anniya smiled. " Robert says I'm a very different person without it. Kummeck im powds," she asked him, the last in Elfin. The brown eye prince laughed again, and shook his head. " Father's been having me occupied with so many different things, I scarcely have the chance to learn anything. Not to mention my accents horrible." 

" I remember that well enough! Never has there been so much damage to my language!," Anniya told him, laughing along with him. She always referred to it as ' her' language. She ventured on. 

" Char, there's something important I need to talk to you about" she told him. Char gave her a puzzled look, but nodded. 

" I have to see the rest of my guests, but I'll find you for a dance within the hour. Is that well," he asked her. Anniya shook her head. 

" Char, this is urgent--,"Anniya began, before a guard came up. He bowed quickly, first to Char and then to Anniya. 

" My apologies, your highness.........but my king wishes for you to know that you need to attend to all of your guests first," the guard said regretfully, giving Anniya an apologetic look. 

"I'll find you for a dance within the hour," Char repeated, looking regretful and puzzled as the guard swept Anniya away. Out of the corner of the eye she saw the masked, dark haired girl rise and walk towards Char. 

Anniya frowned once more. There was something suspicious about that mask. 

And then it struck her, quick as lightning. She was looking for any sign of the Count, and it was perhaps sitting in front of her. Why else would this girl be masked, so late into the ball! Why else would she have been watching Anniya and Char! 

Realizing her mistake all too late, Anniya turned and started to walk back to Char, but he had disappeared with the girl into the whirl of dancers. Anniya swore, something she rarely did. Her one, simple job, and she had failed it already! Turning back into the crowd, she quickly began searching for Esperanza, West, and Robert. 


	34. Chapter 33

  
  


***IMPORTANT AUTHOR NOTE!!!***

This is the final time I'll ask you guys for feed back. What you write in this review may determine how the story ends, although I have a pretty good idea of what's going to happen. Tell me if you want West or Robert, and anything else you'd like to see happen. Reviews are what have inspired me to spit out chapter after chapter, and some of you probably know this story better then I do. 

:^ ). So tell me what you'd like to see for the conclusion of Anniya. After this chapter, the story will be too far up on the climax for any reviews to change my mind( like Robert/West). Some things are already set in stone: a particular tear jerker death, Anniya's past, among other things. I have a pretty good idea of whose gonna win the Robert/West battle( I've spent many chocolate influenced nights pondering over their situation, and have finally drawn a conclusion that could change in an hour, but oh well). Oh and thank for all the reviews guys. You all make Anniya. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


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Anniya: the second ball

  
  


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" I'm telling you, she was just sitting there and watching Char and I," Anniya exclaimed as the coach bounced on it's way to the castle for the second ball. 

Esperanza studied her beautiful friend carefully. The previous night, West had gone out and robbed a dress making shop. Their gowns this evening were even lovelier then the previous night, and were in fashion. Anniya's hair was done up in a bun, with a few snowy wisps sneaking out. Her gown was a deep, gauzy purple, with roses embroidered on it. She looked like a queen even without jewelry and face paint. West and Robert looked as they had the previous evening, with dark suits and their golden hair slicked back. 

Esperanza looked down at her own gown. It was several shades of yellow, a lovely dress. She had tied her hair back with a yellow ribbon. The silk felt smooth and cold against her skin. Personally, she thought that compared to Anniya she looked like the street girl she was. No one ever really noticed her in the shadow of her fair skinned friend. Esperanza felt no jealously, but at times she wished that someone would be able to see her beyond Anniya's shadow. Still, the gown just didn't feel like her. She wanted to feel free, something entirely impossible with the bodice she was wearing. 

" Anniya, you continue to keep an eye on Char. Robert, you keep on entertaining anyone you think might be close to the Count. Esperanza will do the same. I'll keep an eye on our masked friend," West said, grimacing. His face was haggard, with worry and lack of sleep. 

" He didn't even make an appearance last night. I spent all bloody night talking to close companions of his, and all expected him to become later in the evening," Robert interjected. 

The carriage lurched to a stop abruptly. Esperanza glanced out to see the outer castle. It was nearly as lovely as the inside. The tall, silver stone towers gleamed in the moonlight. The river Lucarno glittered from the reflection of the stars, the castle being right on it's edge. Gargoyles perched on the roofs stood guard, and light from inside the Grand hall shone outward from the windows.

" Next time you steal a gown West, may I suggest that you take on that doesn't have a mile of a train on it," Anniya complained as Robert helped her out of the carriage and took her arm. 

West extended his own arm to Esperanza as she clambered out after her. He gave her a dashing grin, and escorted her toward the great wooden doors. 

" I hate this ball business," West told her as they slipped inside. Robert and Anniya were several feet ahead of them, and people glided toward them already. 

" I agree. My feet are blistering from these shoes." 

At that comment, West laughed. " Do you ever wear shoes? That might be the reason." 

" Well.......still, I would think more practical shoes would be of more comfort then these things," Esperanza replied. 

" We should dance before we go our separate ways." 

" That's a lovely way to ask me how to dance."

This earned yet another mischievous grin from West, one that he generally only bestowed on Anniya. Perhaps it was because of Anniya and Esperanza's similar personalities. 

Never the less, West swept Esperanza a deep bow carelessly, and Esperanza curtsied clumsily. It was yet another mark of Esperanza's street upbringing. While West could wine and dine with the wealthy as if he were one of them( in a way he was), Esperanza couldn't even curtsy properly. Not that she really cared.

" I would be honored if I could have this dance, my lady," West told her. Esperanza smiled.

" I would be honored to take it, and even more so if I knew the steps," she replied, but still took his hand. 

" This comes quite naturally to you, doesn't it," Esperanza remarked after several minutes. West was good enough to cover up her mistakes. The thief shrugged his shoulders. He obviously couldn't of cared less.

" You fit right in with the nobles, Arien," she continued innocently, looking at the tapestries on the wall. She used his name on purpose. Time to see if Robert's story was all the truth.

At first, Esperanza feared that Robert had lied to her. West didn't stop dancing, but then his hands tightened harshly, promising bruises. Esperanza looked up into his face, and saw that they tightened not because of anger, but because of fear. 

" Who told you? Who did you tell? How long have you known," West demanded quietly, his sharp green eyes flickering. Esperanza frowned. They appeared dark green, instead of the light forest color they usually were. 

" It was Robert, wasn't it," West said, answering his own question. Esperanza simply nodded. 

" Answer me, dammit," he whispered angrily at Esperanza's silence. In turn, her blue eyes flecked with green flashed. 

" I told no one! And I haven't known for more then a day! Your bloody lucky I haven't told Anniya. She deserves to know," Esperanza told him.

West shook his head. " Do not tell her. Please."

In the days that Esperanza had known him, she could not recall him once saying please. It touched Esperanza's heart( she was easily touched).

" I won't. I just wanted you to know that I know," she blathered. Why was she so nervous all of the sudden? 

West smiled. " Thank you, Esperanza," he said, using her name for the first time in days. 

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" Char! I am telling you the truth, I swear by......by anything! What do you want me to swear to, I'll swear to it," Anniya told him explosively. Why wouldn't he believe her?

" Anniya, it's not you that I don't believe. You have no reason to lie to me. But other people do, and they very well could of plotted for that information to fall in your hands. They know that you would come running to me if you caught wind of a plot against my life," Char told her.

Char had found her and asked her for a dance several times. For the first two, Anniya had been busy working up her nerve to tell him. What was she suppose to say? Hello Char, your going to be murdered at one of these balls, possibly tonight? There really wasn't a tactful way to tell him the news, so on the third dance, Anniya finally blurted it out. 

It had sounded absurd even to Anniya's ears. Char had at first laughed, but then grew worried. But he didn't believe his life was in danger, and he wouldn't even begin to consider that Count Frederick Di Fallon could be master mind. 

" No, Char! I'm telling the truth, I swear! It's not fake! You have to believe me Char! I am your last hope! If you don't believe me and do something about it, you might not live past tomorrow night!," Anniya finally burst out, at her final straw. 

She said it a bit louder then she intended to, loud enough for Char to realize her sincerity, but not loud enough for anyone to turn heads. Char looked at her curiously. 

" I still can't believe.....my father grew up with Count Di Fallon. If he wanted me dead, he's had plenty of opportunities. But I'll have the guards keep an eye on him, if that'll keep you happy. He'll be here tonight. I spoke to him myself this afternoon. You really should talk to him, Anniya. I think you'd realize your mistake," Char told her, spinning her around. 

The mere memory of him made Anniya involuntarily flinch. ' The little whore's a bit feisty for her work, isn't she,' she recalled him saying, as well as the feeling of the gloved hand on her face. No, Anniya had seen this man's true character. 

The dance ended, and Anniya had still unsuccessfully convinced Char of the Count's true nature. But at least he had guards on him now. Char went off to find another guest, and Anniya went to find Robert. 

Too bad she never took more then three steps. 

" Excuse me," an arrogant voice asked her, one that Anniya knew all too well. She froze, then slowly turned around. 

Facing Anniya stood none other then Hattie and Mariah, the two girls that had purposely abandoned her in a place where she couldn't speak the language. 

Mariah was lovely, with dark curly hair and long lashes. Since Anniya had seen her last, the Queen's niece had grown a bit plump, with stubby little arms. Hattie was exactly as Anniya remembered her from two nights before, rabbit like as ever. 

" Milady, I don't believe we have introduced ourselves. I am Duchess Mariah of Frell, and this is my companion, Lady Hattie of Frell."

It took Anniya several seconds to realize that the girls had no idea who she was. This astounded Anniya even more. Could they do something so heartless and just forget about it? She studied the girls for a moment, and realized sadly that they could. Neither of them cared, as long as it hadn't affected them. 

" I am Anniya of Jenn. My first time to court since I was a girl," Anniya said crisply, her accent flawless. The girls showed no recognition at her name. Anniya knew that she shouldn't of cared, but she felt angry and hurt. These two girls had destroyed many lives at this point! And they couldn't even remember her name. They probably thought it was still a good joke to laugh over.

Hattie gave her a patronizing smile.

" I welcome you to court then. But Mariah and I felt the need to approach you on this. You see, Charmont and I are secretly engaged. His impeccable manners insist that he accepts when you ask him to dance, but it would be greatly appreciated if you'd stop. It takes time away when he can dance with me, his beloved."

Hattie appeared a bit exhausted after the charming monologue she gave. It took all of Anniya's acting skills to contain her laughter. Hattie! It had been less then an hour that Char had told her about his contempt for the girl. Even sweet Char couldn't stand to be with the girl, as she made biting comments about the rests of his guests. What had possessed her to tell such an outrageous lie?

" Oh, I'm sorry," Anniya said innocently. " But he's been doing the asking. Perhaps you should take it up with Char." The sarcasm in her voice was hard to miss. But honestly, Anniya could of cared less. 

Hattie's face discolored for a moment, and Mariah glared at her. Anniya lifted on eyebrow. Oh please, like glaring at her would do anything. Anniya could give a mean glare, and it was a lot more intimidating then this pitiful grimace Mariah was showing her. The conversation was quickly turning sour. 

" Perhaps I didn't mention it before, but I am niece to the Queen of Kyrria. What did you say your name was again," Mariah said snidely, jumping to Hattie's rescue. Anniya held her ground, and spoke as carelessly as she possibly could.

" Anniya. Not Anna, as you used to pronounce it," Anniya said, speaking the words in distinct Elfin. 

Hattie's malicious grin slowly faltered as the name was dug up from her memory. Anniya watched the girl's eyes change with realization as it became clear to her who Anniya was. Mariah wasn't nearly as fast. 

" Do I know you," the plump girl said snidely. 

" I'm appalled that you've forgotten me. Do you leave abandon guests that often," Anniya said lightly as Hattie tugged on Mariah's sleeve. The girl's face changed abruptly, as she too realized who Anniya really was.

" Anniya.....how have you been," Hattie said slowly, inching her way off. Anniya didn't even bother to answer her. She spun on her heel and stalked off to go find Robert. A smile played her lips, and though Anniya would never admit it, she skipped a bit to the music. 

But it was odd, as she was walking. Anniya had a bad feeling. Her magic was tugging at her, trying to warn her of something. Looking around carefully, she kept on guard as she linked arms with Robert. 

She was ready for whatever was to come. 

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" My Lord, A pleasure to see you arrive at last," a squire said as he swung the door open for Count Frederick Di Fallon. He ignored the boy and strode on in. His outfit was a dark red lined with gold, matching magnificently with his coach. 

He walked straight through the crowd, ignoring the people who strode up to him. Tonight was the night. Tonight was when the night where Kyrria would at last be without heirs, and a mere few weeks before it was without rulers. A mere month before he would be high ruler of Kyrria.

The Count smiled in anticipation. He had dozens of Ogre troops, all somewhere near the castle. Most of them were hidden by dragon magic, something the Count had spent horrifying sums on. He didn't even begin to worry about the guards surrounding the gate. Nearly all of them were in his employ. At his slightest wish, they would come storming into the castle, and would attack the prince and princess. The entire thing would be blamed on the ogres. TSSal had already volunteered a lesser ogre's life for him to slice down, so it would not appear suspicious to Jerrold. It would in fact, look like he was risking his life to save Chars. 

That thought literally brought a chuckle to the Count's frosty lips. He turned toward the King and Queen. He would converse with them in their final hours as parents. 

It had cost a great deal to purchase the magic stone that he had boughten. But at his slightest touch, he would be able to convey a command to TSSal silently. 

It hadn't been something that the Count had bought. Although he was able to purchase dragon blood from goblins, even they refused to use a magic so much higher then themselves. Only the fairy's and the dragons, the immortal beings they were, dared to use it. He had been forced to steal it, from the snowy caves of Eeaglagor. And he had paid dearly for it. A unicorn sacrifice was said to be an unlucky thing, but that was what it had taken to obtain the stone. And there was nothing in the ball room with higher magic then what he held now. In fact, he was certain that there was nothing in Kyrria with greater magic. 

" Frederick! At last you've come. I trust that your illness has gone," Queen Daria enquired happily as he approached. The ball had done wonders for her; the Queen's cheeks were flushed, and her eyes sparkled with joy. The Count gave her and then Jerrold an elegant bow before answering her question. 

" It was just a touch of cough, my majesties. I wouldn't want to infect either of you, particularly on such a joyous occasion," he replied smoothly.

" Always the gentleman, aren't you, Frederick. How has things been going at that manor of yours," King Jerrold boomed deeply. 

" Things have been well, as far as things can go. Apart from the constant ogre scares......"

" They bother everyone. I have seemed to accomplish little in my reign. I hope Char will be more successful," Jerrold replied, cutting of the Count's sentence. 

The Queen immediately rushed in to tell him of the spectacular job he had done of ruling. The Count controlled an amused smile. What Jerrold believed he would never succeed in, he had already done. 

" Have you spoken to Char yet? Poor lad, he's so busy with all these guests that he'll probably never notice you're here unless we make him come over," Jerrold continued, and nodded at a guard. The guard immediately went off to fetch Char. 

" A large responsibility to rest on a lad's shoulders, isn't it? He seems wise beyond his years," the Count commented, studying the lad away from a distance. He was laughing with a dark haired girl. He couldn't tell who it was; her face was masked. 

They had no suspicion of him at all. It was going easier then he had possibly imagined. He should just summon the ogre troops now. The sooner the better. 

As the handsome lad made his way over to the monarchs and himself, the Count reached in his pocket and gripped onto the stone. It was ice cold to the touch. 

TSSal....TSSal....., he called silently, hardly able to contain his laughter. Good bye, Char. Goodbye. The count called out silently for a third time, TSSal..............................

In a sudden moment, a terrifying pain consumed him. He cried out and dropped to the floor, writhing in agony, a poison running through his veins. He vaguely heard the Queen call out to the guards to get a physician, and saw Jerrold leaning over him in worry. What had he done wrong with the stone, the Count thought wildly. What had he done that caused him so much agony? 

And then something happened that the Count was certain that only he saw. Out of no where, long, emerald green hands of fire reached out and plucked the stone from his pocket. In a single moment, they closed on the stone, and it disappeared. Through his pain, the Count could not help but wonder: what power was so strong that a stone of such an ancient magic could be destroyed, just like that? 

The pain ended as abruptly as it began. It had happened in the space of a minute. Not even the orchestra had stopped, for the Count had kept his cries of pain under control. 

" Frederick! By god, are you alright," Jerrold demanded, then called for the royal physician once again. The Count nodded vaguely at different questions. What force in the room could be powerful enough to destroy such an ancient magic?

As if answering his question, a beautiful, tinkling, laugh was suddenly heard from the center of the ball room. The Count turned his head slowly toward the sound. 

His eyes settled on a petite, startingly beautiful girl, arm entwined with the prince of Kellia. His gaze remained. After a moment, she turned her head slightly towards him. Emerald green eyes, the same exact color of the fiery arms, met the Count's ice gray eyes.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Esperanza watched the entire thing happen. It scared her slightly to see her friend's terrifying power. Anniya was younger then her; how could she be so powerful?

Never the less, even secured on Robert's arm, Anniya wasn't safe. From the way the Count was looking at Anniya, he had deduced what Esperanza had. Anniya and Robert danced a waltz, and then another girl came up and asked Robert to dance. That left Anniya by herself. 

Esperanza saw the Count see that as well, and he immediately started walking over towards Anniya. Most had a partner by now, and Anniya was oblivious to the approaching danger. Esperanza looked wildly over the crowd, and saw that West was charming the masked girl. Anniya was left vulnerable. Esperanza realized that if anyone was to prevent what was about to happen, it was her. 

She leaped away from the banquet table, and reached Anniya a mere moment before the Count did. 

" My Lady, would you care--," the Count began, bowing to Anniya. Anniya's face convulsed with fear for a moment, and she opened her mouth to speak. 

" Which one of do you mean? For Anna already has a dance partner. He's fetching them wine," Esperanza said quickly, making up the lie as words flew out of her mouth. 

She felt her friend relax next to her, and Esperanza knew that Anniya was safe for now. Right in step, Anniya turned and let out a little gasp. 

" Oh, the poor man's been waiting for me over there! Perhaps tomorrow, my lordship," Anniya said quickly. She curtsied quickly, and rushed over to the banquet table. As soon as she reached there, Anniya grabbed a bewildered looking squire and began dancing. Esperanza suppressed a laugh. 

" Perhaps you would care to dance, then," the cool voice asked her. Esperanza turned around and stared at him as he swept a bow. 

This wasn't how she had anticipated it. Esperanza had assumed that the Count would return to chatting with the King and Queen after Anniya turned him down. 

She looked at him, and found it difficult to conceal her revulsion. This is the man who killed my family, Esperanza thought, anger rattling through her body. Every part of her body and soul wanted to attack him at that moment. She had a knife in her bodice....it wouldn't be all that hard.........

" My Lady," the Count repeated politely. He gave no sign that he recognized her. But Esperanza saw his fingers stroke his sword, and she realized that the knife wouldn't even scratch him before he cut her down. 

Esperanza placed her hand in the palm of a murderer, and he led her out onto the dance floor into a Mazurka. For awhile, they talked about harmless subjects; the decorations, the economic status of the kingdom, many things. But after awhile, Esperanza realized that he had been steadily leading her out to the empty court yard. The noise slowly dimmed, and the crickets chirped. An uneasy feeling swept over Esperanza, and she suddenly realized that no one knew she was out here. Save herself and the Count. 

" Your palm is calloused, my lady," he said carelessly as he twirled her around. Esperanza met his eyes for a moment. She was startled by the intensity in them, and realized suddenly that he had seen completely through her. All right down to her calloused, peasant girl hands. A tickle of fear ran up her back as she realized that she was nearly out of screaming distance. Over the noise of all the people, no one might never hear her. And all that the Count had to do was put his hand over her mouth. Esperanza knew that those muscles would be able to over power her with no struggle at all, and if they didn't do it, the sword would. But he didn't know how she was involved with Anniya. He may of not known that she was in on his little plot. 

Esperanza remained completely silent. The Count leaned closer to her, his breath hot on her cheek. She flinched, and leaned away. One too many men had been that close to her. The movement was utterly useless, for the Count only pressed her closer to him, and she could hear his steady breaths as he spoke into her ear. 

" I don't know what game your playing, my little gypsy slut. I don't believe I know for sure what you are involved in, and I believe that you know your little friend as well as I think you do. So I'm not exactly what part you play in this picture, which is lucky for you, I must say. Because I would swear on a thousand dead men that I have seen these wild gypsy eyes before," the Count told her, his mustache touching her cheek as he kissed her. 

Esperanza jerked back in repulsion, and was terrified to see the lust and the anger in his eyes. It was an odd thing to see both of them there together, but Esperanza hardly had the time to contemplate that. 

" Let go of me, you....you...bastard," Esperanza said with horror in her voice, and kicked him in the shins. He didn't let go. Terrified, Esperanza leaned back, and kicked him again. This time he let go and she fell to the ground. Her head roared with pain. Dirt filled her mouth, but it was better then the taste of him. 

There was a low, soft chuckle, before the Count crouched down on the ground next to Esperanza. Her head throbbed with pain too much to prevent him from tying her up. 

" Do you wish to tell me of how close acquaintances you and your blonde companion are," he enquired. Esperanza turned and spat in his face. 

It did nothing. He merely took out a handkerchief and wiped it away before leaning back down to Esperanza. 

" My little piece of filth, cherish your pride. It will not last much longer, if a thing such as gypsy pride exists. For I have seen these wild little gypsy eyes from somewhere, that much I know," the Count said softly. As he raised his sword to knock her out, Esperanza at last came to the realization that she had walked into a trap. 

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I wrote you guys a nice, lonnnnngggg chapter, so be happy. The @#^%@#^% reviews have stopped, and I'd like to say thanks to everyone who supported me. I wish I had enough time to list all your names, but that takes time away from writing Anniya, so I'll do that at the end. Don't forget about the top author's note!


	35. Chapter 34

Anniya: 2nd ball continued

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" It's not like Esperanza to be so late," Anniya exclaimed angrily, pacing around the foot of a centaur statue. 

Despite her anger, Robert heard the touch of worry in her voice. He checked at the grand clock, which rang clearly through the night as it struck midnight. They were officially beginning the second half of the second ball. 

Robert had to admit that he had an uneasy feeling. He hadn't really expected for the Count to do anything during the first ball, but more likely the second or the third. They had all agreed to meet at the foot of the centaur statue ten till midnight. Anniya was the first to arrive, early as always. She had paced nervously around the statue until Robert himself had arrived, on the dot. It had been drilled into his head all to many times about how it was just as impolite to arrive to early as it was to arrive to late. Five minutes after, West had lazily waltzed in. But it was nearly expected of West to be late; Robert would be more likely to believe something was wrong if West actually arrived on time. It was exactly five minutes after though, each time. In that respect, they were the same. Robert arrived exactly on time, while West arrived exactly five minutes late. But Esperanza usually arrived some place in between Anniya and Robert. Not five minutes after West. 

" Perhaps she was just detained. Maybe she's found something that could help us out with the Count," Robert said thoughtfully. 

Anniya considered it for a moment, then shook her head. " We all agreed that no matter what, we would be here ten minutes before twelve."

" She couldn't of forgotten. This is much too important to forget," Robert mused, scratching his chin. Anniya let out a worried sigh, and paced some more. 

" Alright, well let's think worst scenario," Robert began. An answer came to mind, and he decided to scratch the idea for fear of upsetting Anniya more. 

" She's lying dead in some gutter," Anniya said flatly, and abruptly sat down. Her eyes flickered, and Robert studied them carefully. Anniya's eyes could hide a world of secrets, and show them at the same time. And right now, he could tell that she wasn't telling him something. 

" Anniya," he began before she cut him off. As usual, Anniya had sensed the question he was about to ask. 

" The Count--he's here now, like you know. He had a stone, with some sort of calling properties. I knew that he wasn't up to any good, so I just--I don't know what I did! I just did that-magic thing, and I destroyed it somehow. But he knew it was me. Then he came over and asked me to dance, and I knew that he was going to do something. Esperanza came up with an excuse, and I waltzed off. That was the last time I saw her," Anniya said slowly, guilt racking her voice. Robert stared at her. And then, for the first time, West spoke up. 

He hadn't said a word since he arrived at the meeting place. He had merely leaned against a pillar and smoked his pipe while Anniya and Robert had debated where Esperanza might be. 

" This is Esperanza. The same one who was yelling at me for being a few minutes late last night. If I'm more then ten minutes late, it's because I'm dead. Esperanza, of the moment, is fifteen. And we are standing here arguing about it when there is a good chance that she might be dead." 

Now and then, West showed the makings of a king. Robert nodded, relieved to let someone else take charge. This, however, didn't satisfy Anniya. 

" Oh thank you for pointing out the bloody obvious, West. What does that tell us? It doesn't tell us where she is, where she last was seen, who she was with, does it," Anniya snapped. She kicked the statue with her foot. Robert had to hide a grin when her face gave a surprised grimace at the pain. The grin quickly faded though. Where in god's name was Esperanza? 

" I'll find her," West said easily, setting the pipe down. Anniya arched an eyebrow at this comment. 

" How in god's name will you find her? Every eligible lass is here, not to mention a dozen others! You won't be able to find her! We haven't even confirmed if she's missing yet," Anniya lashed out, her temper flaring. West shrugged his shoulders, but his eyes sharpened, focusing on Robert and Anniya. 

" Esperanza wouldn't be late. And if she was, it couldn't be this late. The last person she was seen with was the Count, who we are very conveniently trying to stop from assassinating the royal family. It adds up. Don't expect me back tonight. Tomorrow, this time, this place, we'll meet again. If I'm not here, it's because I'm dead," West said simply. He pulled his mask back on, and gave a graceful bow before striding away. 

Without saying anything, Robert took Anniya's hands and led her into the dance. The troubled expression on her face didn't escape Robert's gaze. He was sure that it must of mirrored his. 

" Robert, I don't like this feeling. Something bad' s going to happen. And now, without Gleex and everything, I don't know how this will turn out. Char won't believe me, or anything. Now Esperanza's gone, and West too. It's just us left." 

Robert smoothed her hair away from her face, and switched to Elfin. " We shouldn't speak in Kyrrian anymore," he told her. Someone could all too easily hear them, and mention it to the Count. It was far safer to speak in Anniya's tongue. Robert still didn't feel completely safe. It was just up to them, no soldiers or knights or anyone else. A second born foreign prince, a crown prince who was a thief and wanted to stay that way, a head strong half human girl, and a wild gypsy. They were all truly at opposite ends of society, but maybe that was why they all functioned so well together. Robert doubted that Anniya would of turned out as she was now if she had been raised as a noble. 

Robert glanced at the painted ceiling, and out of the briefest corner of his ear, caught a snatch of a conversation. 

" ..........dealt with her personally. You know how he is with gypsies...........," a low, masculine voice said. 

Robert sharply looked up, and he felt Anniya stiffen. He wasn't crazy; she had heard it too. 

" Who said that," she said in Elfin immediately. Robert scanned the dancing couples around him. It could be any of them. This was a fast paced dance; the speaker could be right next to him or twenty feet away. 

" Robert, she's in trouble. We can't sit around waiting for West to do something. Not that I don't trust West. I'd trust West with my life, with my soul, but we have to do something to!," Anniya exclaimed urgently. 

A small pang in his heart appeared suddenly. Robert closed his eyes and brushed it off. Anniya would always be close to West; that was the way things were. But still, sometimes she would stare off into space, a dreamy look on her face. As if she were in the happiest place in the world, and Robert wasn't anywhere in her mind at the moment. It troubled Robert, because he knew that Anniya loved him. But at the same time, it seemed that the love wasn't equal to Robert's. Just looking at her now, in the light with her eyes sparkling, Robert knew that he would die for her, if asked. Just by looking at her, Robert knew that much. 

Returning to reality, Robert thought how to answer her question. Not for long though. He knew what he had to do. 

" I'll go speak with him, right after this dance," he replied. 

Anniya didn't ask who ' him' was. She knew, and Robert knew. She simply nodded as the song ended, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. They turned their separate ways, and Robert braced himself as he headed over towards Count Di Fallon. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Esperanza blinked. She shifted, then immediately regretted it. Pain racked through her body, causing her to shudder violently. Her vision was blurry. Her last image of the Count's sword coming down on her head came to her. Where was she? 

A wave of nausea rose up in her stomach, and Esperanza closed her eyes. After several moments, the feeling passed, and she blinked once more. This time, she saw where she was.

All that there was to see, anyway. It was an empty, circular, stone room. 

Esperanza shivered, only partly from the cold. This room unnerved her more then a torture chamber would( but for all she knew, it could be one too). The sheer emptiness of it made her feel as if she was being watched.

She studied it carefully, still lying on the ground. There were a few things in it. A cracked mirror on the wall, a battered desk, a ragged pillow. It looked like a storage room with few things in it. 

Suddenly, a sharp, freezing wind shot through the room. There was no window. Esperanza backed up slowly against a wall, looking for anything that could be a weapon. Her teeth would have to do. 

" Esperanza! Esperanza! It's Robert," a deep voice called out. Esperanza's heart began to beat again, and she raced to the door. It opened a moment before she got there, and sure enough, it was Robert. She hugged him as hard as she could. 

" Oh thank god! I don't know what happened, I shouldn't of gone off with the--," she began before Robert cut her off. 

" I'll hear that later. Esperanza, I need you help. Anniya may be in trouble, because I don't think she's been following our plan. She said that you and her had an idea of your own." 

Esperanza stared blankly at Robert. They didn't have any plan out of the ordinary. At least she hadn't, anyway. 

" Repeat the original plan, step by step," Robert commanded her, looking worried. Esperanza looked at him uncertainly, but repeated it like he told her to.

When she was finished, Robert merely stared at her. It made her nervous, and Esperanza backed away a bit. Why was he acting so strange? He knew the plan, didn't he? 

" But what about that magic she has? What can it do," Robert demanded, his black eyes flashing. 

Esperanza opened her mouth to tell him, but the sentence died as she realized something. Robert's eyes were a blue grey, like the sea before a storm. Sometimes they appeared to be blue; other times green, but never, never black. 

" Well? Her life is on the line, Esperanza! Tell me, damn it," he said sharply, showing a temper. 

Esperanza glanced at him again, and the anger in his face was clear. Robert wouldn't loose his temper over something that he must of known. Anniya would have told him; she was in love with him. Esperanza bit her lip and looked around the room, trying to think of a way to answer without accusing him. Her eyes settled on the cracked mirror, which reflected her and Robert. 

Only it wasn't Robert standing next to her. 

TSSal of Mniqa realized his reflection a moment after Esperanza. Curses! A mirror, of all things, had given him away! While he could make the gypsy girl believe that he looked like Robert, the mirror would not, and it gave his true appearance. 

" Get away from me! I'll never tell you anything," Esperanza screamed, backing into the wall. TSSal merely smirked, and glided out of the room, to the terrified girl's relief. He had all that he wanted to know. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


" Well, Well, Kellia. It's been a year since I last spoke to you," the Count told him easily as Robert greeted him. He forced a laugh. 

" Ah yes, I'm afraid so. I ascend the throne within a year, so I must be well prepared for it." 

The Count had a knowing look on his face, one that gave Robert an uneasy feeling. But he had a talent for hiding his true feelings. 

"I'm surprised you're not married yet. Any lady you fancy in particular," Robert continued, trying to make his question sound merely curious. The Count laughed, and took another sip of his wine. Robert, however, immediately regretted his question. He should of worded it more carefully! 

" Not since..........her. Several lovely ladies at this ball, so I shall consider taking on a wife eventually. I do, after all, need an heir." 

Robert didn't have to ask who 'her' was. It was well known gossip about the Count's lady had died many year's ago. The Count hadn't been so bad back then, when she was still alive. It was her death that had released what he was talking to now. 

" I should ask you the same question. An eligible bachelor like yourself must have some fine ladies coming after him, I presume."

Robert shrugged his shoulders. " Not as many as Char, though."

The Count laughed, and nodded in agreement. 

They talked for the next half an hour, until the Count was needed by the king. 

The third ball was on it's way.

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Author's note: ok, I know this was a lousy chapter. But I promise the next one will be better, especially because it'll be the third ball. And by process of elimination, wonder what will happen at that one.....hehe.... But I can promise this for the next one: Lots of action, lots of romance, and a mystery solved.......


	36. Chapter 35

  
  


Anniya: the third ball

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" Robert, what are we going to do," Anniya whispered as a squire opened the coach door. Robert climbed out, and offered Anniya his hand. She expected it, and it closed firmly on her hand, as if he never wanted to let her go. It was reassuring, and she squeezed his hand as they entered the great ball room for one final time. 

That night, Anniya looked as lovely as ever. This gown was far more beautiful then any of the others, and the material was soft to the touch. She had found it in the inn the previous night. As promised, West hadn't returned to the inn that night. But to Anniya's uttermost surprise, a maroon gown had laid on the bed. Next to it, there had been a note. Anniya had picked it up and read it quickly. It was in West's left hand scrawl, short and simple. 

" Didn't steal this one. Bought it at the market place, thought you'd like it. You and Robert be careful. -West," Anniya had read out loud to herself. 

A genuine smile had crossed her face, and she had scooped up the dress in her arms. It was indeed lovely. But it would of looked better on Esperanza. It would of went well with her olive complexion. 

Neither of them bothered with circulating this time. Robert merely took Anniya's hand, and led her out into the midst of dancing couples. This was the final ball; it was now or never. 

" Robert, we have to do something. We don't even have a bloody plan! Better to go kill the man now and sacrifice ourselves before we let him----," Anniya began passionately in elfin, only to be cut off by Robert.

Robert shook his head. " Think Anniya. He's planning a murder tonight. He'll be on his guard, and he's already suspicious of you."

" Well, that's the best chance we have, we've already discussed it," she began, and was cut off by Robert once again. 

" We decided against it. He'll likely let us live, and then it'll be a public hanging for us all. I have an audience with the King and Queen with half an hour; I'll speak to them then," Robert told her. 

" And let Char be killed while your having a bloody tea party? That is beyond insane! Why are we even doing this? You are a prince of Kellia, not of Kyrria! And West is Kellian born as well, and Esperanza is from Ayothora! And me......I could be from the bloody Fens for all I know! The bottom line is this: none of us have no attachment or loyalty to this country, and we're putting our lives on the line and risking it all just to keep a certain ruler on the throne!," Anniya exploded, her temper flying. 

She was filled with anger, and for once, it wasn't just for the Count. She was sick of it all. She should of just let Robert kill the unicorn that year and a half ago.

Robert waited to see if she was done with her speech before speaking. 

" Because of justice. And because of Char. The Count is not a good ruler; he would almost certainly wage war on Kellia if he could make it possible. People would die. The difference between him and Char is this: Char will rule because it is his duty. The Count will rule because it will benefit him." 

Anniya sighed. " You make too much sense sometimes." 

Robert chuckled. " I know." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Anniya watched Robert disappear into the crowd as he made his way toward the King and Queen's room. Anniya closed her eyes for a moment, relaxing slightly. She wished that she knew where Gleex was; he was perhaps the only thing that could of taken the stress of her at that moment. If Gleex was even still alive. She hadn't seen him since that day in the Fens. And didn't really expect to see him again. 

So wrapped up in the memories of her beloved dragon, Anniya thought nothing of the tap on her shoulder. Sighing, she turned around to tell the man that she didn't want to dance. 

" Milady, the honor of this dance," Count Frederick Di Fallon asked her, sweeping a deep and elegant bow. 

His mustache had been styled, and as well as his hair. He was attired in a dark green, with black boots and a golden sword in his sheath. One could see that he had been handsome in his younger days, and was good looking for a man of his age. 

At least he didn't pretend to be friendly. His tone and manner were polite enough, but as soon as she met his eyes, Anniya saw the anger. They were as cold and as harsh as that first day she had met him. That didn't frighten her in the least; Anniya was glad the anger was there, glad that she had caused it. What frightened her slightly was the amused look in his eyes, as if he were in on some sort of private joke. As if this were just all a big game. It unnerved Anniya slightly, but not enough to keep her from dancing. This time Esperanza or Robert wasn't here to cut in and excuse her from dancing with him. But Anniya didn't care. She wanted to dance with him. 

Just looking at him repulsed her, to think of all those innocent lives that had died at his hand. Anniya wondered how he managed to fool so many people into thinking he was chivalrous, with good intentions for Kyrria. 

She met his gaze with freezing green eyes, and placed her hand in his. She knew that both Robert and West would slaughter her if either of them saw her. But West wasn't in attendance, and Robert was off with the King and Queen. It wouldn't of mattered if they were there. Anniya would of bloody done it anyway.

She smiled, but it was not a sweet smile. " I would be honored," Anniya told him cooly, putting emphasis on the word honored. 

Without another word, the Count took her hand and led her into a spirited gavotte. 

" Where is she," Anniya asked him quietly, no sooner then they were caught into the dance. The Count looked at her, amused. She waited for him to answer, resisting the urge to hit him. 

" Where is my stone," he asked evenly, and abruptly switched directions. Anniya was surprised, and stumbled. He was strong. Very strong. 

" You know where it is. I ask you a final time, where is my stone," the Count asked her, and this time there was no trace of amusement in his voice. Anniya met his gaze evenly. 

" Where is Esperanza? What have you done with her," she snapped back, and pulled back from him. She wanted to be as far from this...creature....as possible, even when dancing with him. 

To Anniya's surprise, he didn't deny it. In fact, to her horror, a smile spread over his face. He didn't answer her. 

" What have you done to her," Anniya demanded, trying to keep her voice level and quiet. The Count raised his eyebrows. 

" Then I repeat, for the last time, what did you do with the stone?"

" Your bloody stone can rot in hell. I destroyed it," Anniya lashed out angrily, her patience finally gone. 

" Exactly. And that is exactly what will happen to you and your gypsy friend in the end. I really can't believe that you are as innocent as you appear to be," the Count told her, his voice smooth and silky. 

" Believe is all you better do," Anniya told him angrily, her voice shaking. In the back of her mind, she heard almost what sounded like a dragon cry, but ignored it. 

The Count let out a particularly loud laugh, and couples around them smiled. 

" I have other business matters to attend to tonight, so I must leave you now, to your disappointment I'm sure. Oh, and I wouldn't suggest talking to any of the royal family, particularly the prince. It be in your best interests to stay clear of him."

" Give me a bloody reason why I should listen to you," Anniya hissed, resisting the urge to spit in his face. She would not sink to his level. 

" Many eyes are going to be kept on you. If you try to talk to him, I wouldn't be surprised if you find yourself hanging in a noose because of attempted assassination."

In other words, he would frame her. So she would die while he would carry out his plan and get away with it. Anniya had no doubt that he could twist the situation to look that way. 

The dance ended, and she twisted away from him. Meeting his icy gaze for a final time, Anniya curtsied. 

" I'd advise that you watch your back as well, milord." 

He walked away, giving her a final chilling smile. Anniya didn't flinch. There wasn't enough time. Even without the bloody stone, he was going to work it out some how. Robert was still meeting with the King and Queen. West was god knew where. It was up to Anniya. 

She scanned the ball room for Char. Her eyes settled on him, and Anniya couldn't of been more horrified. He was dancing toward the edge of the ball room with that masked girl who was working for the Count! And there wasn't a thing Anniya could do to stop it. 

Wringing her hands in frustration, Anniya looked desperately around the room, looking for anyone who could warn Char. 

Her eyes settled on the least likely unintelligent messenger in the world. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


" I've danced with him three times so far," Hattie of Frell told the other girls smugly. True, she had been forced to ask him every single time, but he could of declined. It was only good manners that kept him from asking her; he had to be fair to all of his guests. And that annoying 'Lady Lela of Bast' girl occupied most of his attention. Some wenches would stoop to anything to intrigue a man. 

" Hattie," a musical, clear voice asked her. 

Hattie turned around, and immediately wished she hadn't. Anniya stood there, several inches shorter then Hattie but much more graceful. The girl irritated Hattie to no end. It was bad enough that a quarter of the men in the room were fawning over her; it was even worse that the only two princes in attendance were as well. Hattie had no desire to listen to the girl, and was about to turn around when something Anniya said caught Hattie's interest. 

" Hattie, oh you will not believe the horrible rumors that are going around about Lady Lela. I felt it was my duty to inform you, since everyone knows how close you are with the prince," the tiny blonde girl breathed, looking at Hattie with admiration. 

Well, perhaps the girl wasn't that bad. She recognized royal potential. Hattie awarded her a smile, encouraging the girl to go on. She had known something was wrong with the girl! She was probably a kitchen maid or something of that sort.....maybe even better, she would be scarred. 

" I have heard from a reliable source that Lady Lela's face is covered with terrible scars and burns, from a fire far back. She seeks revenge on Char, for she blames the fire on him and his father! But Char does not recognize her, and he could be dead within the hour! I tell you this because you are closest to him! You must go tell this to him immediately, that he will be dead within minutes if he does not find his father," the blonde girl went on in a rush.

A triumphant smile crossed Hattie's face. So this Anniya girl wasn't as close to Char as some might think. For she trusted Hattie with this information! Hattie didn't even hesitate to wonder how a fire could be connected with Char, or how Anniya had come by the information. As charming as Charmont was, Hattie was certain that he wouldn't marry a Queen with hideous scars all over her face. 

" My Lady, do you wish to dance," the Earl of Demby asked Hattie, startling her thoughts. Anniya sent Hattie a frantic look, and Hattie knew what she had to do. But on the other hand, the Earl was quite rich and good looking. She didn't want to give up a dance with him. 

" Hattie.......," Anniya said nicely, averting her eyes in the direction of Char. Hattie let out an exasperated sigh, and nodded at Anniya before taking the Earl's hand. 

" Let us dance over there in the corner," Hattie demanded. She fluttered her eyelashes sweetly as the Earl reluctantly made his way over toward Char. Hattie couldn't resist smirking. Too bad for Lady Lela. She looked over and saw the Anniya girl glancing around. Even she didn't realize that the Duke of Kenton had a knife in his hand. 

".............Marriage is suppose to be forever, but friendship can be forever too," Hattie heard Char say. How could he talk of marriage with that girl? Hattie was sure that she was worth twice of Lela! She was almost in reach of the girl's mask. Her midnight black hair looked familiar, and it earned a frown from Hattie for several seconds. Oh well. 

"Will you......"

Without waiting another moment, Hattie snatched off Lady Lela's mask, a feeling of triumph surging through her. The girl let go of Char and covered her face, but not quickly enough.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

" Ella!," Hattie shrieked. 

" Ella?," Char gasped. 

The girl broke away from him and began to run as the clock struck midnight. Anniya saw a flash of a dagger. 

" Char! Look out," she screamed, and slammed into Char as the Duke of Kenton swung the knife. Char fell to the ground, as did Anniya.. It knocked the wind out of her, and she lay there a few moments. But only for a few moments. The knife clattered to the ground, and Anniya reached for it as the Duke dived for it. 

" He has a knife," someone screamed. Heads turned, and alarm rose.

" Run Char," Anniya shouted, and used her magic without thinking about it. She heard the dragon roar in her head once again, only this time it was closer. The knife rose in the air and flung itself into the bushes. The entire room stared at Anniya and the Duke. 

Anniya hadn't even noticed this Duke man, until she had seen the glimmer of the knife. He had simply carried out the plan's wishes, and hadn't planned it. This wasn't the man she was after. 

An arrow of one of the king's guards thunked into the Duke's chest. Anniya looked around frantically, searching for a sign of the Count. She caught a flash of green in the outer hall way, and leaped in that direction. People immediately crowded around her, preventing Anniya from following him. 

" Are you alright, milady?"

" Someone's trying to kill the prince!"

" We're going to die!"

The words became blurred, and Anniya hastily tried to push her way through, to no success. He was going to get away! There was only one thing left to try. Time to see if this magic would really help her out. Anniya shut her eyes and concentrated. 

Her head exploded with pain, and she nearly lost concentration. A green glow covered her, and Anniya disappeared from the ball room.

  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


The moment Anniya opened her eyes, she leaned over and vomited. Her head spun, and her feet wobbled. If she had known what the side effects would of been, she might of skipped that whole disappearing act. She had wished to go where the Count went. So where was she?

Anniya closed her eyes and laid down on the floor. The wave of nausea passed after several moments. She opened a single eye.

Anniya gasped. She had never been in such a beautiful place that was not in nature. It surpassed the ball room by far. For the ball room had been replaced with a spacious study. Thousands of books lined the walls, in all different languages. Rugs and art from foreign lands were everywhere. Furniture that were no doubt valuable heirlooms was scattered across the room. The table near her was fairy made. Just by looking at it, the engraved flowers seemed to bloom, and Anniya could smell their sweet scent. A jewel encrusted mirror hung on one wall, the reflection swirling. The fire place was magnificent, marble along with the finest wood in the land. Twin dragons were on both sides, and occasionally, when the fire began to die, they would each blow flames on it. Glittering steel swords hung on the walls, glistening and polished. To Anniya, who was beginning to fall in love with education, this was a place of wonder. 

And yet, at the same time, there was something unsettling. Anniya couldn't pinpoint what it was, but she could feel it. But perhaps it was her imagination. 

A sudden realization that the Count could come in the room at any minute occurred to her. For caution, Anniya crawled under a table. The table cloth would hide her from view. Hopefully. 

Several hours passed. Anniya was glad that she had relieved herself earlier, before coming to the ball. At last, she peeked beyond the cloth. Still no one was in the room. 

Against her better judgement, Anniya stood up and brushed off her maroon dress. She was glad she had it on now. The room was freezing, colder then it was outside. Despite all the danger, she needed to walk around and find out where she was besides the Count's study. And might be something of importance in here. Hugging herself, Anniya walked over to the book cases. She pulled out the first book she saw, one that was written in Kyrrian. ' The Ogre tribes of Kyrria, Ayothora, Kellia, and Bast', the title read. Anniya frowned, and flipped the book open. A page had been book marked. Out of curiosity, Anniya read what it said. 

  
  


" THE MNIQA TRIBE: 

Out of all the ogre clans, the Mniqa is the largest and the most dangerous. They occupy most of the Fen's plains, and are the oldest known race of ogres known. Documented papers in the archives of the fairy lands show that the Ogres occupied most of Kyrria before some unknown force drove them back into Fens. Lesser clans have tried for years to overtake the lands of different countries. The only recorded attempt of seizing a major piece of land for the Mniqa was back in the Ogre wars. There are several things that differ the Mniqa from other clans, and make it the most powerful. It is the only clan with one leader. Others can have up to ten leaders, and wars break out within. The second reason is that unlike other tribes, the Mniqa are willing to co-operate with different creatures( humans, goblins, dwarves, etc) in order to achieve certain needs. The final reason is perhaps the most unusual. All ogres have the ability to command creatures with their honey slick voices, but that is not the extent of the Mniqa's talents. They have the ability to morph into any living being they have come in contact with. There are only two things in which one is able to tell if it is an ogre or not: the eye color, and reflections. The ogres cannot change their eye color, and their reflection will always show the true image. The Mniqa are also capable of learning sorcery like humans, and are the only race of ogres who have that ability. 

  
  


Anniya finished reading the selection, and closed the book, putting it back in the place she had found it. Strange. What was the Count doing reading about ogres. The distant memory of the two soldiers in the woods came back to her. But what did the Count need the ogres for? 

She strode a bit down the aisles, and pulled another book out. This one was full of fairy tales, and Anniya read it some time. But the uneasy feeling would not leave her, and Anniya stood up to continue weaving her way through the rows. She wished she knew where a ladder was, so she might be able to get the books on the upper shelves. 

Anniya walked further and further back in the shelves. The further she went, the older the books seemed to get. She sneezed several times from the dust, and sent a spider scurrying from it's web. It looked as if no one had been back here in years. But back here, Anniya felt slightly more safe. Towering book shelves hid her from anyone entering the room. 

A particularly battered book caught her eye. The way it was hidden by other gigantic texts, it was a miracle that she had seen it. If not for her keen eyesight, she would of walked right past it. It was a faded scarlet, lined with gold. It would of been a beautiful book, if it had been kept in good condition. Anniya plucked it off the shelf, and opened it without a second thought. 

" Speak thy name and thy purpose," A voice rang from the book. Anniya nearly dropped it. She stared as a face formed on the page she had flipped to. Sorcery. 

She hesitated for a moment, not sure what to say. She knew that she couldn't lie, for the book would see right through that. Trying to keep her voice from shaking as much as possible, Anniya finally spoke.

" Anniya of.....well, currently Frell. I was just wondering what you were about," she said slowly, but clearly. The book chuckled, it's pages rippling. 

" I am not of stories, I am a key. What is thy purpose, Anniya of Frell?" 

Anniya thought about telling the book that unfortunately there was no door that he could be a key to, but she didn't think it would be worth pointing out. 

" My purpose is for justice, to help my friends, and the good of Kyrria," Anniya said firmly. It wasn't a lie. 

The book let out another chuckle. " Indeed, it is those things. But are there other reasons?"

Anniya blushed before replying. " And because I'm curious." 

" An answer very much like another's, once. It seemed to be only yesterday, but from the way you have grown, I think not.. But Anniya of Frell, do you truly wish to go inside? There is no telling what you will find." 

The way she had grown? His answer troubled Anniya for a moment, but then she realized that she had no idea what this book could see, or know. It could be several centuries old or of ancient magic, for all she knew. 

" Yes, I do," Anniya told it, ready to read what it had to say. The book suddenly went limp, and the face disappeared. Anniya picked it up eagerly, and flipped to the first page. 

Before she could start reading, the book shelf against the wall made a creaking noise. Anniya looked up at it, startled. It creaked a bit more, and then suddenly swung open. Anniya gaped, and then looked at the pages in the book. They were blank. 

So it had been a key. Without much more waiting, Anniya stepped inside. 

She coughed a bit, and brushed the spider webs out of her way so she could see the stone steps that led downward. After several moments, Anniya arrived in a small room. Little did she know that she was one of the only four people who had ever been in this room. 

Anniya knew that she had to be underground at the moment. The room had no windows, and was moist and clammy. The only light came from a fire place that had an eerie black glow over it. There were several shelves of books, and a desk with papers on it. 

A rush of fear combined with excitement raced through Anniya's veins. She walked over to the book shelves and grabbed several books off. She flipped through the pages, and it confirmed her suspicions. The books were filled with dark magic and spells. It was sorcery. 

Hardly able to contain her excitement, Anniya walked over to the desk. She pulled open the drawers. 

Hundreds of letters were in there. Anniya picked up one and flinched. Though she couldn't read it, she recognized some of the ogrese language. How long had the Count been keeping correspondence with them? Anniya picked up another letter. This one was in Kyrrian. It was from a captain, detailing to the Count about a green dragon. 

Anniya stared at that letter for a moment. That's where Gleex had gone. Shaking, she picked up yet another letter. It was a miracle that he hadn't burned these. But then again, the Count probably didn't let anyone in his library, and he probably didn't think that anyone would find that book if they did. And the book probably wasn't suppose to let anyone in without the Count anyway. 

Anniya grabbed a wad of letters, including one detailing the planned murder of Char and a letter from the ogres asking for instructions. It was all evidence that would lead to the man's imprisonment, or more likely, execution. She put them in the bottom of her slipper, and then put her shoe back on. She had no where else to put them. 

Anniya rifted through a few of the spell books, but put them back after a few moments. An uneasy feeling crept up her. There was no place to hide in here, and it only had once entrance. She had to get to Char as soon as possible. And besides, no one knew where she was. If anything was to happen, Anniya knew that she could be killed, and no one would ever know what happened to her. She shivered, and scanned the room a final time. 

Because of the darkness, Anniya hadn't noticed it at first. But now, to her excitement, Anniya could make out a portrait above the fire place. She stepped closer. Cobwebs covered it, and the painting was now smudged. Toward the bottom, it had been slashed at. 

Anniya brushed away the cobwebs and the dust, and stood back to look at it. 

The Count stood there, much younger then he was now. His gray eyes weren't cold as steel, and a smile actually played his lips. His attire was gay, and his hair was a raven color. He had indeed been handsome in his younger days. A woman stood next to him. She was wildly beautiful, and a full, cherry red smile covered her face. Her brown eyes twinkled, and her lovely blonde hair cascaded down her back. Her blue gown made her look ethereal. Her arm was entwined with the Counts, and one could tell by looking at the picture that they had been in love. 

But Anniya merely stared, and could think of no words. For around the beautiful's woman's neck, hung an emerald green necklace.

The portrait was of the Count and Anniya's mother. 

  
  


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***Author's note***

Yes!!! I have been dying to write this cliff hanger for a loooonnnngggg time! I've been dropping little hints through out the story, and thankfully no one's mentioned it in the reviews. You guys might want to reread the chapter called ' Count Frederick', where I dropped a rather large hint. It's the one where I first introduce TSSal of Mniqa, if I'm correct( that guy has SUCH a fun character to right, I swear.) And congrats to Chava, who guessed the whole thing with Hattie pulling off Ella's mask. I know that I'm evil for leaving you guys with my best cliffhanger so far, but it would ruin the effect if I went into Anniya's past right after dropping that bomb. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!!!

  
  


Note on Mermaid: To those of you who were blackmailed into reading it and sorta liked it so now ya want me to continue, the next chapter will be postponed for a month or so until Anniya is finished. I'd like to just concentrate and put all my effort into this one and just finish it off. But as soon as this fic is done, I'm going to concentrate on mermaid. 


	37. Chapter 36

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Anniya

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Anniya stared at the picture. It was her mother, she had no question about it. It coincided exactly with her memory. All the way down to her long, white blonde hair and soft brown eyes. 

A thought suddenly occurred to her. Was this man her father?

Anniya flinched, just at the thought. This man was not her father! He wouldn't be! He couldn't be! Her father had been an elf, she remembered that clearly! And her mother had not been a lady, her mother had been a peasant woman. 

" Well, well, well. Look what I've caught nosing around in my study," a cool, amused voice said. 

Anniya froze. Why had she let down her guard? She spun around and took several steps back. Count Frederick watched her with an amused expression. Behind him at the door way stood six guards and several figures in cloaks. 

" Throw her in the dungeon, and I want thirty guards around that building, and have some of TSSal's men on the inside." The guards moved forward, and grabbed her hands before Anniya could even think to run. She stared defiantly at the Count, but refused to struggle. She'd go out with her dignity. He studied her with unusual curiosity. 

" I must say, I am intrigued to know how you have managed to get on my estate before I did. And even more so how you managed to get in here without anyone detecting you. Landon, while your down there, make sure you bring up the rack. It and this lovely lady will have a bit of a chat later on." Anniya stared at him in horror. It had come down to torture. " Oh, and I'd advise you to not try anything magical. You may find yourself in for a nasty surprise. Knock her out." 

At least she knew she was at the Count's manor now. But as the sword's hilt came down on her head, a thought occurred to Anniya that no one else knew. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Anniya woke up in darkness. She groaned softly, and rubbed her head. 

" She's awake," a guard said. He chewed noisily on an apple.

" What a brilliant observation. With an eye like yours, you should be captain of the guard," Anniya said sarcastically. His fellow guards chuckled, and Anniya grabbed the opportunity immediately. She was still a bit disoriented, but the thought of the portrait hadn't escaped her mind in the least.

" Why is she in there!," Anniya demanded at the guards. She could make them out now, even in the darkness. There were about ten or so. They looked tired, bored, and hungry. Good. 

" What 'exactly do ya mean, missy? Who's she?"

" The woman with the Count! The portrait!" 

She didn't want to leave the portrait. It brought the memory of her mother back, more clear then ever. Anniya wanted to find out, before god knew what happened to her. 

The guards shifted nervously, obviously debating what to tell her. Please tell me, Anniya thought, wishing that they would tell her. Not surprisingly, a green aura settled around one of the oldest guards. But Anniya failed to notice it. 

" Why is she in there, damn it! My mother wouldn't be in a portrait with him unless she was forced! My mother was too good for him," Anniya screamed again, and a tear trickled out of her eye. She wiped it away quickly, and then slumped back down. The guard paused for a moment before speaking. 

" Women in this court lacked intelligence," he said at last. Anniya glanced up, surprised. She hadn't expected anyone to speak, for fear of the Count.

"The ones that had any wits about them were married or scarred visibly. Ugly. The Count decided that he would never marry. After all, a woman would of only held him back. Until Eirene." 

Eirene. After all these years, Anniya at last knew her mother's name. It was pretty, just hearing him say it. It was an uncommon name, although not unheard of. It fit the charming young woman in the portrait. 

" She was one of the Queen's many relatives, and nearly as old as the Queen herself at the time. She was a Duchess, and probably one of the richest, unmarried girls in the country. Eirene was beautiful, the fairest of all her sisters. And intelligent. I knew the Count had to have her. So he courted her and showered her with gifts. Eventually, she came to love me as he loved her." 

" You're lying! That disgusting creature could never be my father, and my mother would of never loved! And if so, he's incapable of love," Anniya screamed at him. 

A distant area in her mind reminded her that Anniya had only several dim memories of her mother. If this man said anything true, the Count would probably know more about her mother then anyone. She didn't care. 

" Well missy, I may not know a lot about nobles and their ways, but I do know a lot about love. And the Count Frederick was smitten. The Count did anything and everything for her. I never saw a man more in love with her then I saw the Count. He was handsome; she was beautiful. They were the talk of the court, but neither of them cared. Let me tell you, if one thing is true, it is this: Eirene and the Count were deeply in love with each other."

The man paused, expecting Anniya to interject yet another lovely comment. She didn't.

" This part, only I know. Me and Richard, we today are the only ones who know. Count would have me killed if he had known I'd seen. The Duchess Eirene came into the study one day, a week before they were to be married. The Count, he's been plotting for the throne for eons. The Lord of Kentsoa had found out about the Count's plot for the throne. The Count was forced to kill him. He did it slowly. While Richard and I were debating to stop him, Eirene walked on in the room. She shouldn't of watched, she should of said something right away. But she didn't. The little missy watched him, and saw the Count's true personality."

" He broke down and told her his plans for the throne. After all, he had been caught in the act. She was horrified. Eirene's one fault, in the Count's opinion, was her lack of ambition. She could of been great, Eirene could. But part of what made her great was when she told the Count, simply, that she was engaged to a cold blooded killer. That was all she ever said, before exiting the room."

" She didn't want him to die. Eirene still loved him, I know she did, the Count knows she did. But she couldn't marry the Count any longer, she said. But there was no way to break the betrothal, for her father refused. So Eirene ran away." 

"She shouldn't of ran away, it was bad for all of us. I spent four years of hell searching for her. Four and a half, to find a woman who the Count knew would never be his. He was obsessed with the little witch. He let all of my careful plans drop, except for my treaties with the ogres. And then, at last we found her. In an Elf settlement. She had run off to find some greenie, a pathetic excuse for a man, as the Count had said. He begged her to come back with him. He begged. At that point, the Count would of given up my life for her, all of his property, even his plans for the throne at that point. He was losing money at terrifying sums, but the Count didn't care. That's how I know he loved her, missy Anniya. No man who had that much power and that much money would trudge through the rain on foot himself just to find a mere woman if he didn't love her. No man would give up his life just to find a single woman he didn't love." 

Anniya was quiet for several moments. Perhaps the man spoke truth. She waited for him to continue. 

" No, Eirene said. She had married the elf a few years ago, and now she had a child. The Count didn't care, he was so desperate. He'd raise the child as his own, he said. Still she refused. He knew some part of her still loved him; she had named the child after the greenie and himself--,"

" What was the name," Anniya asked. At last to know who she was. 

" Duchess Anniya Fredericka of Estalen . So he did the only thing that would bring Eirene back to her senses: the Count arranged to have the greenie killed. She would come back to him then, the Count was sure of it. So he arranged to have some of the ogre clan to go on a little raiding party. They were to kill everyone but Eirene and the child. The Count knew that Eirene would never be happy again if her child was killed. I gave them specific directions: Kill everyone but the woman and her child. The woman would be wearing an emerald necklace, and her child would look like a miniature version of her." 

" So the ogres raided. Eirene should of lived. But the necklace wasn't on her. And the child wasn't to be seen. The ogres killed her along with the greenie."

" He killed her! What sort of love is that," Anniya said fiercely, but quietly.

" He had them bring back her body, and had every single ogre that was there gutted. He buried her in his gardens, near the river. She loved the river. She'd sit their and embroider all day long, singing sometimes. We all remember the missy singing, lovely voice she had. Always polite to us guardlings too. Eirene shouldn't of died."

This account disturbed Anniya slightly. She had felt no remorse for the man, previous to this. After all, to stop the murder they had to kill him themselves. But Anniya hadn't felt so bad then. It was like killing a plant or something; it had no feelings. And the Count had destroyed so many things held dear and planned to destroy more. Ridding the world of him had seemed like a good thing. 

He had killed her mother, and though on accident, her father's death hadn't been an accident. That should of made Anniya hate him with a passion, especially for all the years she had blamed it solely on the ogres. But it didn't. It just made her feel confused and uncertain. Of all the things, she hadn't expected the Count carrying a feeling like love. But it was even evident in the portrait. And her mother had loved him. Her mother had loved him enough to give Anniya his name, even when she wasn't his child. And the Count had loved her enough to drop all of his power hungry plans and crawl through the night searching for her. 

And although Anniya could argue all night long about her mother's death, the final sentences the guard had said about it troubled her. He had buried her in the gardens. It was the place Robert had told Anniya that the Count spent his most time in, just sitting out in his garden. 

And as much as she tried, Anniya found it impossible to hate the Count. He was no longer an blood thirsty dictator about to usurp the throne. He was a human being who had simply walked down the wrong path. 

Anniya no longer wanted him to die. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

West had a pretty good idea of where Esperanza might of been. Mainly because West had been in the same place himself. The highest tower in the old castle.

It had taken him some time to acquire a guard's outfit, of course. He had also stopped at the market place to buy Anniya a gown first, for the last ball. It was odd, how he no longer felt jealousy for Robert. But even so, he loved making her happy. West couldn't describe the feeling he felt when Anniya smiled; it seemed like the entire world lit up. West looked for an excuse to do it as often as possible. 

The wind whipped around his golden hair, and West pulled the hood of his cloak up. He looked like a guard, now it was time to act like a guard. He strode toward the castle, and entered it. 

The guards hardly noticed him. He was simply another protector; nothing special. West smiled. There was no greater satisfaction then pulling something like this over the Count's head. 

He walked up the grand staircase, and continued upward. He passed an ogre or two; they didn't even see him. He went straight to the room, and knocked in the distinguished pattern that opened it. He hoped Esperanza was in there. 

The door swung open. And sure enough, Esperanza sat, huddled in the corner. She sprung up at the sight of him. 

" Stay back! Stay back, you bloody-," Esperanza began screaming, just before West clamped a hand over her mouth. " Are you bloody crazy? I'm here to rescue you!"

She managed to get rid of his hand. " Like last time? Stand in front of the mirror, let's see if you're so brave now," she snapped, backing away as if terrified of him. West stared at her, wondering what they had done to make her so paranoid. Obligingly, West stepped in front of the mirror and turned around several times. 

" My reflection is still there, Espera-," he began, only to be cut off by Esperanza again. 

" You can't fool me! You think that I'll fall for the same trick twice, just because you fixed the little mirror trick. Well I have news for you, it's not working," she screamed, tears streaming down on her cheeks. She was visibly shivering, and West came to the conclusion that she had to be sick with fever.

" Ranza, I hate to do this," West told her, and took out the sword he had stolen. She backed into a corner, screaming ogre at him. The sword hilt came down on her head, and Esperanza crumpled to the ground. West dismissed any feelings of guilt. He was saving her bloody life; the least she could do was be quiet. 

Now the real problem had come. Sneaking in had been fairly simple. Sneaking out with an unconscious prisoner would not. 

".........screams from the prisoner's room," a voice said out in the hall. West's head snapped toward the door way. He carefully placed Esperanza on the floor, in a position to make it look as if she was sleeping. West gripped his dagger and stood behind the door. It swung open, colliding with his face. But it hid him from view. 

A stench accompanied the two tall, dark figures that glided in. A smaller, more clean one followed them. 

" There was noise in here. I heard it," the first one oozed. Ogres, West thought. What the hell were they going to do? If they discovered West, there was a good chance he might be able to kill them. But not before they screamed out for help and West managed to get Esperanza out. 

The second figure sniffed the air. West's hand tightened on his dagger as his body tensed, ready for a fight. Even if he lost, West would have damn fun trying to win this little battle that was coming. Ogres had an excellent sense of smell, which the figure only proved.

" A human's been in this room," the creature said, swinging around. The man bent down to look at Esperanza, checking her pulse. 

" Well that's the obvious. She's in here, and I'm in here. Her pulse is still going." 

" That is the obvious. No, there was yet another male in this room, not some time ago. The scent is still fresh. He could still be in here," the ogre hissed. West's green eyes watched it carefully, waiting for the search to begin. 

The man wasn't as concerned. He shrugged his shoulders, and stood up after making sure that Esperanza was alright. " Don't do more work then you have to. If it makes you feel better, stand guard at the door. It's the only way in and out, at least that I know of." 

They exited the room, the second ogre last. He sniffed the air once more, directly on the other side of the door. West stood perfectly still. 

The second ogre finally left, and West was presented with a new problem. How to get out of the castle. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  
  


Anniya waited a long time. She didn't know how long; it could of been a few hours, it could of been a day. The guards changed shifts a few times, but other then that, Anniya had no concept of time down in the dungeon. Her stomach growled loudly, but she received no food.

So Anniya focused her time on glaring at the guards, especially when they made leering comments about her. She sat up straight, and decided to have a conversation with one of them. She had already learned something useful from one; perhaps she would learn something from another. 

" What does he intend to do with me," she asked quietly to the youngest guard. He had shoved his cloak up, an action that had drawn Anniya to him. Most of the guards remained hooded. He wasn't particularly handsome, but his face was kind. 

" I wish I could tell you lass, but I don't know." the man hesitated for a moment, then went on. 

" I don't think it's anything pleasant though, not to worry you."

" Does this mean I don't get a tea party," Anniya asked, slightly sarcastic as she slumped down. Her ball gown fluffed out around her, and she wished she had a knife to cut some of it off. She ventured onward.

" Well, is it possible that I could have some food? I haven't eaten in some time," Anniya told him. Little did she know that it had been a day and a half. Her throat was parched, and her stomach ached for food, any food. 

Another guard overheard her question, and shoved a canteen in her face. " Count said that you were to drink this, and nothing else," he said gruffly. Anniya didn't bother to say thank you, but just fumbled for it. The young guard kindly helped her slip it through the bars. She put it immediately to her lips, and drank. Common sense in the back of her mind nagged at her, saying it could be poison for all she knew. Anniya didn't care. 

It was sweet. The liquid had a sugary, relaxing flavor to it. It oozed sweetness. It was better then water and food, at the moment. Anniya inhaled it all in several gulps, before handing it back through the bars. Did the younger guard look guilty, Anniya wondered. Perhaps it was just her imagination. She sighed, and began sketching in the sand with her finger. 

Within twenty minutes, Anniya was oddly sleepy. It had to be boredom, she told herself. But all that she wanted to do was to sink into oblivion. She yawned, and stretched out on the floor. It was against her better judgement to go to sleep, but Anniya was exhausted. She'd just close her eyes for a moment, she decided. Famous last words. 

Anniya awoke from a sharp kick delivered to her ribs. She flinched, but did not cry out. Two guards yanked her to her feet, and dragged her out of the cell. 

" Come along, missy," one said, sounding apologetic. Anniya ignored him, stumbling on her feet. Her vision was blurry, like everything was spinning. Everything was extremely loud, and Anniya covered her ears with her hands. " Stop screaming," she mumbled. Or had she thought it? She was so tired, why wouldn't they just let her sleep, Anniya wondered. In a tiny part of her mind, a part that held the common sense, screamed at her: Anniya, they've drugged you! Snap out of it!

Anniya felt herself being put in an upright position, her legs being crossed. She felt the cold metal of chains snap on her wrists, and her ankles tied down to the table. She dimly realized that she was in a torture chamber. The world spun, and Anniya fell unconscious. 

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	38. Chapter 37: Execution

Anniya: Execution

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"...............You cannot put me in bloody chains! I am Kyrria's last hope, I am a member of the royal family of Kellia, who's country has been at peace with yours for years," Robert shouted angrily, twisting out of the guards grip.

Tears streamed down the Queen's face, but King Jerrold's remained stone. His eyes glittered angrily. 

" Peace, is it? Do you call attempted assassination peace? If Count Fallon hadn't warned us of your treachery and your little spy who has been charming our son, you might of succeeded. He told us about how you were planning to frame him. He told us lots of things, and I think it is a bit far fetched to think of him as betraying our country! He has been by my side for more years then you have been in this world! As we speak this moment, he is guarding the scullery wench who tried to kill Char."

The guards at last managed securing Robert's bonds. His heart sank. The Count had done it. He had managed to twist everything to his advantage. Now Robert was being held captive by the very people he was trying to help, and Esperanza was with the Count. Anniya and West were god knows where, but they were their last hope. As the guards began dragging Robert away, he called out to the Queen one last time. 

" Why would I want to hurt Char? I grew up with Char! Why would Kellia wage war against Kyrria? What would we have to gain? Nothing, that's the answer, except a little bit of land that would be unmanageable because the ogres would over run it! But what would the Count have to gain? He would be the next for the throne.........," Robert shouted hoarsely as the doors closed on him. One of the guards knocked him down, and Robert's head hit the floor. The world temporarily blurred, and Robert really didn't remember putting up a struggle as they made their way down to the dungeon. 

It was not Robert's first time in the dungeon, although it was his first time imprisoned there. A cell was swung open and Robert was shoved inside. The iron bars slammed into his face. 

" The mercy of the royal crown will be on you if you release me," Robert told them half heartedly. As if they would be foolish enough to release a royal prisoner. Even if he was unjustly accused. 

Damn the Count. Damn the Count, the king, the country, the people, the world. Especially damn the door, and West while he was cursing. If West was here, he would be able to figure out how to pick the lock. Robert wished he had listened to some more of West's boasts of escaping the captivity. At least half of the time, West owed his escape to his uncanny ability to pick any lock, no matter how carefully crafted. 

" Cheer up, milord. It'll not be you who will hang this eve. I can guarantee that no matter what the outcome of this, you'll live," a guard told him. Guards often struck up idle chat with their prisoners. But of course, there was nothing else to do. 

Robert wiped the sweat from his brow, and ignored him. He could care less about some petty thief at the moment. 

" Most of us are surprised that the monarchs are going to execute a lass. It's not like them, them being the kind folks they are. Aye, it's a pity the wench you hired will have to die, but at least it won't be you." 

Robert didn't hear him correctly at first. He arched an eyebrow, and glanced at the guard, giving him his full attention. " Repeat that." 

" I said it's a pity that the wench you hired is going to hang tonight, but at least it won't-," 

" They're going to bloody hang Anniya!" 

Robert leaped up and grabbed the guard from inside the bars, catching him off guard. The carefree expression left the guard's face, and he gulped as he opened his mouth to no doubt scream for help. 

" Do not say a word," Robert said softly, but the threat was there. " When is she to be hung?"

" Sometime this eve, that's all I know, I swear." 

" They can't! She's innocent, don't they know it? Why won't they believe the truth," Robert raved, knowing all too well that he sounded like a madman. He relaxed his grip for a moment, just long enough for the guard to jerk out of his hands and scream for help at the top of his lungs. 

" Guards! Guards!," he shrieked. After several moments, guards poured into the area. Robert turned away from the door. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore, now that Anniya was to be killed. 

And there was nothing he could do to stop it. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Freezing water was splashed onto Anniya's face. Her eyes flew open; all of her senses were on the edge. Her mind was clear, although she saw darkness. Anniya abruptly became aware of the coarse material on her face, and realized that she was blindfolded. The affects of the drug had warn off. Her last clear memory was being in a torture chamber. It troubled her though; what was the whole point of drugging her if she didn't stay drugged? 

" They have no intention of hurting you if you cooperate," a calm voice told her. Anniya sat up straight. She didn't know who it was, but it sounded as if he may have a semblance of a soul. 

" Am I going to die," she asked him immediately, ignoring his previous statement. She didn't plan on cooperating. 

The voice hesitated before speaking, as if he was searching for a lie to comfort her. It assured her suspicions. 

" So I should expect to die sometime in the near future, correct," Anniya said, answering her own question. Something else occurred to her. " Who is 'they'?"

The voice didn't hesitate this time, and it seemed surprised. " Why, their royal majesties the King and Queen of Kyrria. For treason, attempted murder, thievery, the list goes on." 

Despair was perhaps the worst of the feelings one could have. Anniya had been expecting death, but she had planned on dying for a noble cause. Instead, she would leave the world as an unjustly accused criminal. Well, except for the thief part. 

" When do they plan to execute me," Anniya asked quietly, sitting perfectly still. She wasn't happy about her fate, but throwing a tantrum wasn't going to get her anywhere. It would just make them more likely to believe that she was exactly what the Count wanted her to be. 

The voice was full of pity this time, and Anniya could tell that he didn't believe she had done any wrong doing. " Sunset. The Prince of Kellia was suggested to be strung up as well, but the Queen and King flatly refused." 

Anniya didn't have to ask who had come up with that brilliant idea. The Count had apparently been on Robert as well. Robert, herself, and Esperanza were now all neatly underneath the Count's thumb. 

Except for West. West was their last hope, but he was god knows where.

" How long is it until sunset," Anniya asked the voice her final question. 

" It's midday now. We'll leave for Frell within half an hour." 

The voice paused as the sound of boots clicking on a stone floor came from down the hall. Anniya stiffened. She knew who it was. She reached in her shoe and pulled out the letters she had taken from the Count's study. 

" Give this to Char please," Anniya begged, thrusting it in the general direction of the voice. No hand came to take them. " Please," she begged again as the boots approached. " I know you don't believe I plan to kill the prince, and I know that I didn't. I have nothing to gain by his death. Please just take these to him, and he'll see what's going on. Please."

The man must of finally heard the desperation in her voice. The letters were snatched from her hand just as the door swung open. 

" Out. All of you. Prepare for departure to Frell." 

Boots were heard, and the door clicked shut. There was a lapse of silence before the Count spoke again.

" My original plans have been changed, as you might already know. We won't be able to finish our little 'session' together. Not that it's a bad thing. You're a bug I've been meaning to squish for a long time now, and I can't say I even have the slightest idea who you are. The day I let you get away from the healers is a day I regret profoundly. But I will not make the same mistake twice. As sunset you will be hung in the center of Frell, and you will die with the knowledge you have about anything you have seen."

Anniya said nothing. She remained still. 

There was a soft chuckle, and suddenly a burning heat was in her face. Anniya jerked back as far as the chains would allow her, her face sweating. 

" You can't scare me," Anniya told him softly. " You can't scare me, but I know the real reason your getting rid of me. It's because I scare you." 

There was yet another low chuckle, but Anniya couldn't find any hidden meaning. But the heat moved away from her face. 

" You are an intelligent girl. More intelligent then most men, I must say. You would have to be, in order to come as far as you have now. I'll admit it, if it makes you happy; I was disturbed when you showed odd.....signs, I will call them, of a magic that has not been seen in centuries. But I have successfully drugged you and doused your power for several days. And my dear, in several days I can't say I really care what sort of power you will have, for you'll be dead by then." 

Anniya involuntarily flinched, and against her will, panic overcame her. She had been counting on her magic to get her out, even in the midst of her despair. She bit her lip, but it was no use as a sob came out. Anniya didn't want to die, and if she had to, she didn't want to die a criminal's death. 

  
  


" But before we leave, I must say, I need some answers to a few things," the Count continued. She heard the snapping of his fingers, and as the door opened, the sounds of the guards filed into the room. Before Anniya could comprehend what was happening, she felt herself being strapped down in a laying down position. The calling of a loud ox startled her; what were they planning to do? Anniya lay there in the darkness, dumbfounded. 

" Well now. I want to know exactly how you figured out how to get into my study."

" Go to hell!," Anniya spat through her tears, wishing that he would take the blindfold off. The oxen made a noise, and Anniya felt her body go in two directions. She withstood the urge to cry out. They were stretching her. 

" Let's try that question again. How did you get into my study."

" Go roast in bloody hell! I'll die before I tell you anything," Anniya hissed at him. Words spoke louder then actions, unfortunately. The oxen gave a sharp jerk, and this time Anniya screamed. Her body wrenched with the pain of being pulled apart. 

" For the last time. How did you get in? I must say, I'm losing my patience." 

Anniya remained silent. 

" Very well then. How far can she go without dying," his clipped voice asked. 

" Oh quite a bit, milord," a guard replied. 

" Then by all means, do your work." 

In the next moments, Anniya had a beautiful dream. She was sitting around a campfire with West, John, Robert, Esperanza, Char, and Gleex. There was lots of chocolate, and Anniya saw fairies dancing in the distance. She could no longer feel her body, she was so far into the pain. 

A voice was suddenly in her ear, one that was real. " I must say, I am curious. You are a pebble in my shoe, but yet I do not know your name. It would be most interesting to at least know the name of the worthless wench I am inflicting agony on." 

Through the intense spasms, Anniya would never really know how she got the words out. Maybe it was her fierce desire to live. Maybe she reached into her energy stores. Whatever happened, it saved her life.

" Anniya Fredericka of Estalen," she gasped proudly. 

After several seconds of silence, the pain abruptly ended. 

" Say your name again," the Count demanded. 

" Anniya Fredericka of Estalen," Anniya repeated, more strongly this time. It occurred to her that the Count had no idea who she was. 

The blindfold was abruptly ripped away, and light blinded her. Anniya found herself face to face with Count Frederick Di Fallon. 

Steel gray eyes read her emerald ones clearly. Apart from her eyes, the texture of her hair, and the shape of her ears, Anniya was a spitting image of her mother. The Count saw that too. 

" Anniya Fredericka of Estalen died when she was four years old. Anything that resides of her is in an ogres stomach," the Count said harshly, but continued searching her eyes. Anniya held his gaze firmly. 

In that small moment, everything changed. The Count stared at her, then stepped back. He opened his mouth to say something, and Anniya read the emotion in his eyes. 

" Should we release her, milord? Have plans changed," a guard asked. The Count seemed to snap out of his reverie. 

" No. Put her in the carriage, and prepare for Frell. All of the country will want to see this wench hang."

He spun around, and strode out of the room. A guard moved toward her, and Anniya reluctantly realized what was about to come for the hundredth time in her life. A sword came down, and she blacked out, her last thought being that she would be executed in less then seven hours. 

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**Author's Note**

I know this is a pathetic, uneventful chapter, but if I don't get it out now, you guys might have to wait another month or so. The finale is coming up soon. I don't think I can stretch it out further then 5 chapters after this one, not including the epilogue and my gigantic author's note/thank you chapter. It's really close to the day I started writing this story, so I am way excited! I'm almost at 700 reviews now! Just think, only 300 more and I'll be at a thousand! I'm hoping that I'll be able to reach at least 800 by the stories end, since I've never seen a story with that many reviews on it before. Thanks for reviewing guys!

About my bio: Whoah! People actually read it! That sort of freaked me out, considering how much of a nerd I sound like. To those of you who have realized that I can't exactly put 'faerie_gurl' as the author( hehe), my first name is Kira, last initial V. I'm not posting it on ff.net for fear of seeing it in a bookstore a few years from now with someone else's name on it! If you want, tell me you want the first chapter. But it's pretty different from Anniya: for one thing, it's written in first person in two different points of view. One is the richest unmarried aristocrat in the land, Duchess Eleila Di Eabelle. The Second is a thief half fairy, half human girl with an unnatural talent for fencing, called Talia. Anniya shows up later in the story. She's pretty much exactly like I describe her the story now. 

But anyway, if your still convinced you want to read it, I'll send you the prologue, but I can't send you anymore. Thanks for asking about it though! I'll babble about it to anyone who will lisen! 

~ Faerie_gurl 

  
  



	39. Chapter 38

Anniya

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" This is excellent wine! I see why it is a well guarded family secret," Charles of Asnee, a guard of the old palace and under Count Frederick Di Fallon's employ, exclaimed loudly.

He wasn't a handsome man, but neither was he ugly. His dark brown hair was long, and it matched his friendly chocolate eyes. He wasn't a particularly tall man if one thought about it, but his wide frame added inches. At thirty two years of age, he merely succeeded in marrying his childhood sweetheart who was now pregnant with child. He didn't really think what went on with his job; all that Charles knew was that it paid the taxes and put food on the table. 

Andre, his fellow guard, nodded in agreement. The cloaked guard laughed heartily. It was a rich, full sound of a man at the prime of his life, and Charles took an instant liking to him. The guard had come to relieve them of their watching duties at the back entrance. Normally Charles liked to get a head start on his way to the cottage, as his wife hated when he was late. She had ridiculous notions that thieves had gotten him if he were only a few minutes late. But it wasn't as if he would be finding brigands around the old castle, so when the guard had offered them some wine, Charles hadn't declined. And now he was quite jolly that he hadn't, as it was the most delicious he had ever encountered. 

" What do you got in that sack of yours," Charles asked him curiously. The cloaked guard glanced over at the large burlap sack he had brought along with him. From within the dark folds, a flicker of golden hair caught Charles's eye.

" Well, you've caught me. I'm carrying around an unconscious gypsy girl," the man replied easily, amusement in his voice. 

Andre roared with laughter, and Charles joined in. A grin spread across the cloaked man's face, and he too laughed, just as heartily as the two themselves. 

Charles stopped laughing first. He wanted to take another swig of wine. The sweet liquid bubbled in his throat. It was truly the most delicious he had ever tasted. 

" Your sense of humor is as fine as your wine," Andre told him. The cloaked man merely smiled, and Charles realized that he had still not introduced himself. 

" Charles of Asnee, and my companion's Andre of the same. Wine has made me forget my manners." 

Charles waited for the man to introduce himself. He didn't. After several moments of silence, Charles asked him. " I don't believe we've heard your name yet." 

The cloaked guard shook his head. " My apologies. I thought I had already given it. You may call me Tsew of Calenburg." 

Charles frowned, and scratched his head. He didn't want to seem like an ignorant fool, but he had never heard of Calenburg. It couldn't be in Kyrria. And Tsew wasn't a common name at all; in fact, Charles had never heard of it. Thankfully, Andre voice his question.

" Where in bloody hell is Calenburg," Andre asked, taking another swig of wine.

He had downed more of it then all three of them put together. Actually, just the two of them. Charles had carefully noted that Tsew had not taken a sip of his wine. But of course, he was on guard duty next. If any of their superiors caught them drinking on the job, it was twenty five lashes guaranteed. 

" It is in Bast. I have not been there since I was a child, which is obvious from my lack of accent." 

" I hate to interrupt," Andre began, his words slurred. " where is the hanging this eve?" 

Charles rolled his eyes, and opened his mouth to change the subject. " So how have you been-,"

" A hanging?," Tsew interrupted suddenly, the interest in his voice apparent.

Charles was surprised. By now, he was sure that everyone knew of it. 

" You don't know? Since the prince of Kellia has been caught guilty of attempted assassination, the news has been racing through the country. Our good King Jerrold has decided on hanging one of the spies. Count caught her himself. It's said that she was at the ball, trying to seduce him to his death. Tis a pity, she was suppose to be a pretty little blonde thing. A bit disgusting that a lass is going to hang, but I suppose that is the way with war." 

Tsew was silent, and it unnerved Charles slightly. What had he said to make the much taller man so quiet?

" Everything all right," Andre asked. Even in his drunken state, he realized that the atmosphere had changed. 

Two knives suddenly whirled out of no where into Tsew's hands. In an instant they were was one on Andre's neck, and one on Charles's. 

Charles stared at the man, suddenly terrified. He had just realized that this man was not a guard. 

He moved his hand toward his sword buckle. 

" Touch the sword, and I'll cut your hand off. Scream for help and I'll do cut more then just your hand," the man said quietly. Charles did as he said. His years had made him learn that bandits didn't really care about lives, and they didn't give a second thought about slitting someone's throat. Andre, however, was sixteen years old. 

" You bastard! You tricked us! Guar-," Andre began to scream. The man's hand came down immediately, and Charles looked away. Silence immediately followed. 

" He's not dead, if that's why your eyes are closed. I just knocked him out. He's brave and willing to fight for his life. A foolish quality, but a brave one and I'll let some other slit his throat," the man said quietly. 

Charles was still too scared to glance over, and too humiliated to look the man in the eye. Even if this man didn't kill him, the Count would probably hang him if this man planned to do anything serious.

" Look, just tell me a few things, and I'll let you go. If you refuse to cooperate, don't think I'll just give you a kind blow to the head. I forgave his youth, an excuse you really cannot use."

Charles didn't doubt him. He just now noticed the blood on the blade that was against his throat. It glittered menacingly. The man noticed his gaze, and grinned.

" Ogre blood. Hard as hell to clean off," he said, a hint of a smile in his face. It disappeared as quickly as it had come. " What do you know about this hanging?" 

Charles gulped, but forced the words. " Everything I already told you, nearly. She'll hang in the center of Frell at sunset. I know nothing more milord, I swear! Spare my life," Charles begged, adding the milord touch in an attempt to flatter him. It had the opposite effect.

" Do not call me milord," the man said harshly, and pressed the knife closer for a moment. 

" Where is you're horse?"

Charles made a motion with his head to the right. He shot an angry expression at Wolf, his stallion. The humongous, black horse had stood silent throughout the entire time. And it hadn't made a single noise when the man had stepped out from the shadows in the first place. Wolf was stubborn, bad tempered, wild, and had a mind of his own. Charles should of sold the worthless horse the moment he had found it wandering outside the ogre's forest.

The man glanced at it, and inhaled sharply. He seemed to forget about Charles for a moment as he walked toward the horse. 

" Diobla," the man breathed in. The stallion snorted, and flipped the man's hood off. It revealed a handsome man with golden hair. 

The horse and man contrasted sharply, like night versus day. But at the same time, one could see the bond between the two. 

Charles saw this, and pulled out his knife. The man seemed oblivious to him. Charles raised the knife high, and brought it down on the man's back. 

The horse screamed as the knife was coming down. The golden haired man whipped around and plucked the knife out of Charles's hand just as it grazed the skin. He swore, and pinned Charles down. 

Charles's began sobbing, knowing what was coming next. 

" I have a wife, she's with child," he began crying. The bandit ignored his pleas.

" Which hand do you write with? Don't lie. You won't benefit from anything."

" Left. Please no, god no!"

" Hold out your right." 

" I beg you!"

" Hold one out or both, take your pick! Now," the man said forcefully. Sobbing, Charles extended his right hand and closed his eyes, bracing himself.

The knife flicked across his hand, as if it was writing words. But it wasn't cut off. 

" Luck be with you," the man said, and then brought his sword down on Charles's head, knocking him out as he had Andre. Thunder rumbled in the distance.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


" Your majesty," a man cried out urgently, knocking Sir Stephan over as he made his way to Char. Char slowed his horse and waited as the man caught up. 

Perhaps it was word from his mother and father about his engagement. The thought of the word brought a smile to his face, and the thought of Ella widened it. He wished that Sir Stephan hadn't received an urgent message about a roaming ogre party near the Ayorthora border while they were at Dame Olga's. At the moment, there was nothing that Char wanted to do more then to go tell his parents the happy news. 

" Don't disturb the prince," Sir Aubrey barked at the guard. Char held his hand up at him.

" Don't get excited Aubrey. It's fine. What news do you bring me?" 

The guard, who looked several years younger then Char himself, stopped for a moment to gasp for breath. He pulled several parchments from his tunic and thrust them into Char's hands.

Char frowned, then unfolded the first one. It read: 

" To Count Frederick Di Fallon, rightful ruler of Kyrria and it's surrounding lands: 

King Jerrold and Queen Daria suspect nothing. They think that your idea for the balls is fabulous, and can't even guess that there might be a motive behind it. The Duke of Kenton will have the knife, as you have instructed. He will stab Prince Charmont, and while everyone is in an uproar, the ogres will move in, directed by TSSal of Mniqa of course. He will send you a separate letter detailing the exact line up outside the palace. 

I wouldn't worry about the Kellia men. Several court officials have planted the idea in their head that they can't be trusted, and without evidence they'll get no where. 

- Captain Raungard of Frell

  
  


Char's deep chestnut eyes had hardly finished the letter before he moved on to the next one. It was written in ogrese characters. He shuffled through the letters and came to a startling conclusion: Anniya had been right. The Count was trying to kill him. He had been thwarted by Anniya, Char now realized. Which meant that as he stood there, Anniya and his family were in danger. 

" Aubrey! We need to turn around immediately," Char told him in a clipper, matter of fact voice. He handed the parchments over to the knight, who quickly read the first one. The color drained out of his face. Char didn't wait for him to finish it.

" Turn around! We're going back to Frell!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


" Esperanza. Wake up. Esperanza," a voice called out to Esperanza. It sounded dimly like West's. She opened an eye. It was West. Or at least it appeared to be. 

Before Esperanza could say anything, he clapped a hand over her mouth. Her skin tensed, and she began clawing at West. He ignored it, and merely proceeded to holding down her arms as well. 

" Listen. I'm West. Last time you saw me you started raving like a mad woman. Do you think I'm who I say I am?" 

Esperanza studied him carefully. His golden hair was tangled, his face was smeared with blood and dirt, the determined scowl on his face with the sparkling green eyes told her who it was. 

" You're West," she said slowly, " No other creature alive could have that unmistakable scowl on his face." 

She stared at his face as she told him this, gauging his reaction. West laughed, and at that moment Esperanza confirmed that it was him. Like Anniya, he had an unmistakable laugh. But this one was tired, and made him sound so many years older. 

She rubbed her head and was surprised to find a sticky wetness. She glanced at her hand. It was blood. For the first time, she thought to look around.

They seemed to be underneath a gigantic tree, willow tree to be more exact. It's long leaves touched the ground, shielding them from the view of the road. The space near the trunk wasn't much bigger then six feet long and wide, but it was enough for both of them to squeeze under. 

" Where are we?" 

. " We are underneath one of the largest Willow trees in Kyrria, and ten miles away from the center of Frell."

" Where's Robert? Where's Anniya? Are they ok." 

Esperanza waited impatiently for an answer. But West got a distant look on his face, and he merely shook his head. " We can ride hard now that your awake. Follow me, there isn't time to lose." 

Esperanza bit her tongue in anger, and stood her ground. " I'm not moving a bloody step until I know where Anniya and Robert are!" 

If looks could kill, Esperanza would of probably died from the one West sent her. He stopped for a moment, and seemed to be considering something. Then he spoke. 

" I left to go after you as soon as we decided you were missing. But I'll sum up what I know now: Somehow the Count's made it look like Robert was trying to kill Char in order to start a Kellia-Kyrria war. Anniya was the one who was supposedly going to kill him, so now she's going to be hung at sunset unless we can get there in time. Now follow me before I bloody put you in the sack again," he said flatly. 

With that much said, West turned around and pushed the vines aside. Esperanza stood still.

Anniya was going to be hung in what, a few hours? Death was a hard thing to comprehend, no matter how much Esperanza was exposed to it. She continued to sit there deadly. 

If there had anyone that Esperanza could of ever called a true friend, one that didn't use her for some reason or another, or because she had something they wanted, Anniya would be the person. She had offered her friendship, laughter, and love, despite who she was. Anniya had even offered her life, that one time when Gleex had nearly burned her to death. Anniya was the closest thing that Esperanza would ever have to a sister again. Esperanza wasn't about to let her die, and the same thing went for Robert. 

She leaped from her place underneath the tree, and made her over toward West. He was mounted on none other then Diobla. Esperanza arched an eyebrow at the horse, but did nothing more. He offered her a hand up, and she took it. 

At West turned the horse toward Frell, Esperanza asked him a question on a subject he had been very quiet on. 

" Do you still love Anniya?"

Despite the seriousness of the question, it earned a chuckle from West. 

" Do I love Anniya," he repeated, and kicked Diobla. Esperanza tightened her hold on his waist as the stallion raced down the road. Looming thunder clouds proved that a race might be coming up.

" Good. You remembered the question," Esperanza said sarcastically. Few events could keep her sarcastic wit away.

" Of course I love Anniya. I love her just like I would love a sister." 

" We all do. I want to know if you love her like Robert loves her." 

Lightning cracked the sky, and thunder came roaring back to greet it. The trees swayed a bit, and West swore. He managed to avoid the question for several minutes. 

" Are you going to answer me?"

" I already gave you a damn answer. I should of left you back at the castle, you're more trouble then your worth." 

" I know. Don't answer then."

West abruptly stopped the horse, and he turned around to face her. His face was in all earnestness, and Esperanza knew that she was going to get the truth. 

" Look. Any un-brotherly feelings that I had for Anniya died along with her un-sisterly ones for me. It's been a year and a half since anything happened between us. Then I changed, she changed. She loves Robert, I'm back to being the bachelor. There. Done. End of story."

With that little monologue finished, West started to turn back around. Esperanza changed the subject before he could kick Diobla. 

" Where are they keeping Robert?"

The crease of a frown suddenly appeared on his face, and if the situation hadn't been so serious, Esperanza would of smirked. His brotherly feelings were stronger for his non-sister then they were for his half brother. But her mind only dwelled on that for a mere second. 

" I would think the dungeon. He's a valuable prisoner, so he'd definitely be in the palace. But if they think he tried to kill the Kyrrian Prince, then I'm almost certain that he'd be in the dungeon. Heavily guarded." 

Esperanza was silent for a moment, her mind calculating. After several moments, she had a semblance of a plan. 

" Well, as of now, it's you, me, and you demon like horse against the nation. We need to free Robert as soon as possible; out of all of us, he's the only one with real power. People respect him almost as much as they respect their own monarchs. People will laugh us back into the dirt, but they'll listen to Robert. He's really our only chance. I propose that one of us goes to try to get Robert out, and the other goes to try to save Anniya." 

West arched an eyebrow and didn't say anything. He seemed to be weighing the outcomes. 

" I say this: I should go and get Robert, because I'll have an easier time getting into the dungeon since I'm a girl. It'll probably take some sort of brute strength one way or another saving Anniya, so you would be better suited to that task. Where are they hanging her?"

" Center of Frell."

" Perfect. It's only a mile away from the palace. As soon as I free Robert, we'll ride up to meet you in the crowd. We meet at midnight in the north corner of Frell. Dead midnight. No later then half an hour. At that point, whoever isn't there is dead," Esperanza finished. 

West stared at her for a long time. Esperanza shifted, uncomfortable. Once again, despite the seriousness of the situation, he cracked a grin. 

" By god Esperanza, if only you'd been born a man. If I had half of the impeccable strategy you have and a quarter of common sense, I would be the richest man alive." 

Esperanza smiled too, knowing that was probably the biggest compliment West would ever bestow on her. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


" I trust that they are treating you well," Queen Daria's voice rang out, startling Robert out of his reverie. Tired, he mustered just enough energy to look up. 

Robert had always liked the Queen. Her long black hair was lovely in Robert's opinion, and her chestnut eyes that were identical to her son's sparkled with life. He had always gotten along with her better then his own mother; although the Queen Marie of Kellia was beautiful, she was also vain, catty, and shunned her son. But Robert could hardly blame her. His mother had been ripped away from the man she truly loved and pledged to the king, and Robert when she was sixteen years old. West's mother, on the other hand, had born him when she was twelve, nearly thirteen. It was odd that the king had taken her at such a young age, and the thought disturbed Robert. But this pondering had little to do with the image standing in front of him. 

" They've been treating me well," he echoed, glancing at the guards. The Queen noticed the glance. She snapped her fingers. One of them started to protest.

" He's a killer, your majesty. He tried to kill you son. In all due respect-," 

" You would leave as I commanded you to. Do you doubt the sincerity of my words," the Queen asked the guard, silencing him. 

The guard blushed, and turned to lead the rest of the guards out of the room. Robert grinned wryly. The Queen never yelled, never lost her temper, and seemed so frail that one wondered if a breeze might blow her away. But even so, her voice was the word of the people. 

The Queen turned back to look him straight in the eye, blue meeting brown. Robert looked her dead on, and remained silent, giving her the respect to speak. 

" My thoughts are not the same as my husbands, but I do not believe that you plan to kill my son. You and Char have grown up together, and neither of you have ever particularly longer for the throne. And the more I thought about it, the more certain I have become. Even if you wanted to kill Char, it would make no sense to do it with only a wench's help. And you would of never done the work yourself. And of course, what could you benefit? Nothing." 

Robert seized the iron bars that separated them. 

" Your majesty, then you have to believe me when I say that Count Frederick Di Fallon is plotting to kill you son! He is in direct line for the throne after Cecilia, and it wouldn't be nearly as hard to get her out of the way as it would be for Char. In the midst of all the chaos, did you think to ask him where he got his information?" 

" He was told by a spy that turned on you. The spy disappeared moments after the information was passed." 

" It's a bloody lie!"

" Or a lie that is bloody," the Queen answered wryly. 

Robert smiled despite the circumstances, and profoundly apologized. 

" My apologies your highness. It's been a long while since I was in the company of Ladies. But do you believe me?"

The Queen studied him, and as Robert watched her, he realized that he disagreed with the Count. Although the Queen was shy and reserved, underneath that shield was mind that could rival her husband's. 

" I do not need to believe you, for I have suspected the truth myself for some time. Like the balls. I thought they were a charming idea at first. But the Count has never been a kind person to me, which was what made me suspicious. At first I thought he was trying to bridge the gap between us, but now that you tell me this, it changes my mind slightly. Who is the wench that he is hanging?" 

" Anniya is what she goes by. She was trying to save Char's life. He would of died if she hadn't intervened." 

A questioning look crossed the Queen's face. " Anniya. What a pretty name. I feel as if I have heard it before." 

" What time is it now," Robert asked eagerly. 

A shadowy look crossed the Queen's face. 

" The sun will begin sinking at six. It is fifteen minutes until that time." 

Robert stood up, enraged. He leaned as close to the Queen as he could.

" Your highness, you have to open the gate! She is going to die, and there isn't a goddamn thing I can do to save her! I'll give you my life for hers, and they can kill me any damn painful way they please as long as you spare her! The people of Kyrria follow you, as does the Count! They won't let him do anything if you say something, " Robert shouted, slowly sinking to his knees. 

So this is how the story ended: Esperanza was most likely dead, West was missing, Anniya was about to be executed, and Robert was in the dungeon. 

Queen Daria only shook her head sadly. " This 'real' power you speak of is something I do not possess. I should not even be down here right now. At this point, there are not many people who can save the wenches life. Except for these My husband, who is blinded with anger and Count Fallon, who is blinded with corruption-,"

" And then we have it, both who will don't give a damn what happens as long as she's dead," Robert said bitterly. The Queen ignored him and went on.

" That is where you are wrong. The third is my son, who will be able to see more clearly then either of them. He has always spoken highly of you Robert, and anyone who is friends with you is friends with him. Char is your only chance, as of now." 

A knock was on the door. The Queen's head turned slightly, only for a moment. And then, reaching from underneath the folds of her skirt, The Queen pulled out a dagger. Robert accepted it gratefully, and tucked it in his right boot. 

The Queen nodded, and rose. " Good luck, Prince of Kellia," she told him before opening the door. The Queen was replaced with guards. Robert turned his back to the door, and counted minutes until sunset. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


" She's awfully young. Are you sure that she tried to kill the prince," the captain of Count Frederick Di Fallon's guard asked. 

The Count fingered the ruby and emerald ring on his hand. A chilly winter breeze swept through the sky, ruffling the hairs on the back of his neck. He smiled with satisfaction at the scene beneath him. 

The town center was crammed with people of all kinds. The poor and the rich had gathered to see the evil assassin who had tried to kill their beloved prince, even the disgusting, rat like gypsies. The nearby trees roared down dead leaves, the chilly winter winds setting them free. The sun was lowering itself on the horizon, and the sky was streaked with a mix of violet, orange, and white. It was indeed a beautiful day.

Everything was turning out perfect. That damn little sewer rat gypsy, even with the small amount of information she had, was responsible for this. It brought a smile to his lips, to think that the race that polluted his country with their existence was going to be responsible for making him king. He had a lot to thank her for. The Prince was in the dungeon, the girl's neck in the noose, and West was lying in some gutter dead, according to his information.

That last thought brought the widest smile of all to the Count's face. He stroked his face, and mused of how wonderful it would of been to strangle the man himself. He had a hatred for the brigand more then any man alive, making an excuse only for Eirene's greenie. The thief had never broken down, even in torture, and had merely spit in the Count's face. It was truly a shame that the thief couldn't hang tonight either. 

He was on one of the two platforms, so he rose above the rest of the common horde. The first platform was built for the nobility. The second was built for the execution. 

" Yes, I am quite certain that our little lass here attempted to murder the prince." 

The captain's light brown hair blew in the breeze, and an evident frown crossed his face. He was a smart man. Too smart. The Count would have to dispose of him soon. 

" What would a pretty lass like her have to gain by killing him? She could certainly charm her way into marrying her if it was riches she wanted." 

" How in god's name am I suppose to know the mind of a criminal? It was most likely a side job to her whoring; after all, she did work for the Prince Robert of Kellia. It's a bit far fetched to think that he would want a pretty thing like her for only a spy." 

The captain glanced at the Count, and their eyes locked. The Count didn't say more; he knew that the captain wasn't believing a word he said. The man had gotten too clever, knew too much. As soon as this girl was hung, the Count would have to arrange another 'accident'. 

A part of his conscience nagged at him. She was Eirene's daughter. A spitting image of her, nearly. But at the same time, a memory of the greenie, and of his ruined plans. 

Fredericka should of been his daughter. If only he had known who she was before he had begun hating her. 

The image of the elf returned to him, and the Count's mixed feelings returned to hate and disgust. Fredericka was lucky that he hadn't decided to burn her, along with the memories of her father. 

" Milord? There's something you should see," a guard told him. 

The Count nodded absent-minded. Another man came forward, and extended his arm. The Count lifted an eyebrow. 

" Why in god's name are you wasting my time? Tell me what you have to say!," he snapped. 

The man's eyes were wide and frightened, but somehow he managed to speak. " A man in a cloak knocked me unconscious, stole my horse, and escaped. At first I thought he was a bandit, but then I saw what he left." 

The Count leaned down and looked closely at the man's arm. It was beginning to scab now, but from what it looked like, someone had taken a sword and carved words into the man's arm. The Count grabbed the man by the arm and jerked him closer as he read the words. 

They read, as inscribed: " I'll see you at sunset-W."

The Count turned around abruptly to the captain of the guard. " I thought you told me that one of our informants had seen him lying dead in a street gutter, rats crawling on his body! Did you lie to me," he snapped angrily. 

The captain looked extremely puzzled, and shook his head. " No milord, I did not lie to you. I remember clearly that a man in a guard's uniform came up to me not more then several days ago-,"

" Do you remember what he looked like? How old? How tall? What color was his hair?"

The captain scratched his chin nervously, obviously racking his memory. " I really don't remember much milord. They all look the same to me."

The Count swore, and was about to bark out orders to a more complying servant when the captain's face suddenly brightened. 

"It was a bright gold color, I believe, milord. A blond color, I remember that much."

The Count nodded, and his face darkened. The bastard had managed to make a fool out of him once again. Well, it was the last time it would happen. That thought brought a smile to his face. He cared about the girl, that was obvious. Which meant West was somewhere out in the crowd, one of the faces. Which meant the Count would have the chance to kill the thief himself after all. 

****************************************************************************** 

  
  


~Author's note~

Nine pages! I hope everyone's happy with this chapter; I think this might be the longest one I've posted so far. I wrote it from several different points of view this time, and found that I was on a role if I switched every once in awhile. This story has gone by so fast, it's amazing! I'm beyond the 700 review point, and it seems like just yesterday that I was waiting for my hundredth!( I'm completely spoiled on reviews, I admit it) Thanks for all the reviews guys, towards the end I'll thank you all personally. 

Now go click on that little review button, and do me a favor: PLEASE WRITE an actual, real, detailed review. Don't get me wrong: I love hearing about how much you love my story, but I know it's not perfect. Even though were toward the end, give me your feed back. Say you like Robert better. Tell me why! Or you think I should do something with a certain character. I love advice! I love constructive criticism!( this story would suck without it!) What has helped me evolve into a decent writer is those things, and I can step up the evolutionary path if I get more( thank you chava, and many others that I can't name right now!). So while I love people telling me that they love my story, it'd be great if you could tell me why too. Thanks guys!!! 

~ Faerie_gurl A.K.A. Kira 


	40. Chapter 39: Sunset

The sun was sinking fast. The pink and purple clouds swirled with orange above her head. It was an eerily beautiful sunset for a hanging. 

Anniya remained silent as her bonds were tied securely, and refused to look at the jeering crowd. Her wild, waist length snow blonde hair blew behind her in the breeze. The white gown she had changed into was tattered and stained. The thought about it's condition brought a smile to Anniya's chapped lips. It wasn't like she was going to alive long enough to really care.

It was funny to think that this was the last sunset she would ever see. For some reason, it hadn't really sunken in that she was going to die. The idea seemed so alien that Anniya was unusually calm. It still seemed like a nightmare that she was going to wake up from in a few moments. 

And yet, the noose hung there to remind her. It was odd, seeing that pale piece of rope swinging in the wind and knowing that her own neck would fit into it within moments. Anniya had never seen a hanging, but she had heard of her companions talk of them. Of how the victims wiggled in wretched agony while the crowds laughed. 

Gazing out into the crowd, Anniya saw King Jerrold, Queen Daria, and the Princess Cecilia. They were seated upon the hill, surrounded by knights and guards. The King sat tall and imposing, glaring at her. The Queen, on the other hand, fidgeted, and looked upset about the entire thing. The Princess Cecilia, who was only a few years younger then Anniya herself, looked straight at Anniya, her face full of sympathy and compassion. The Princess was comely; an identical copy of her mother, with her curly ebony hair and pale skin. 

" Sunset's beautiful, isn't it," a cold, amused voice said from behind her. Anniya's back tensed as she recognized the voice. It was embedded in her memory. 

" Yes, it is. It will be even more lovely when I use my magic to free myself," Anniya hissed at him, her temper rising. The thought of her magic had at last occurred to her. 

There was a soft chuckle. " Why do you think I drugged you? My dear, that little talent of yours isn't going to come back for a few days. But you won't have to worry about anything past a few minutes from now." 

Anniya's heart stopped. The little 'gift' had been a plague to her until now. But now it was gone. Anniya was a dead man walking. 

The Count walked slowly around to face her. His attire was a bright, blood red color. His gray streaked hair was slicked back, oily as ever. He towered above her, as most men did. But yet, her clear emerald eyes met his steely gray ones straight on in a final battle. She wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come. The Count gave her one last eerie smile, and started to walk back. The last person she would ever talk to. That thought jolted Anniya into reality for a moment. She found her voice. 

" Why do you want to kill me," Anniya managed to croak.

The Count froze in his steps. He paused for a moment before turning around, his face twisted in a sneer. 

" Why? Why? I'm surprised. I thought you seemed like an intelligent girl. The reasons I want you dead are endless. You have interfered and nearly destroyed my plans for the throne, you and your companions have killed countless numbers of my men, you annihilated my stone with some sort of sorcery, you-,"

" Is it because I'm my father's daughter and not yours?," Anniya asked quietly. She had nothing left to lose. 

The Count's sneer didn't change, but his eyes did. Anniya had hit her mark. 

" You loved my mother," she continued simply, stating the fact. She looked away, not expecting him to answer. He surprised her.

" I love Eirene. I loved Eirene with more love then you could possibly comprehend at your age, or even ever know," the Count simply.

Anniya didn't meet his eyes, and looked off into the distance as he walked off to watch the hanging from a distance. The sinking sun was still burning her eyes. As the executioner walked up, a past memory was called back into Anniya's mind, a past conversation. The old elf's voice echoed inside her mind. 

" Magic is something only fairies and dragons posses from within, and it was why they are the oldest surviving races-."

A man, some sort of lord, came up and said a few words to the crowd. Anniya hardly heard them. The lord returned to his seat, and the executioner positioned the stool directly beneath the noose.

"They can draw magic from anything, from an ocean to a pebble, at any time-,"

He tugged on the noose, making sure that it was strong. To Anniya's growing terror, it was. The executioner motioned to the chair. 

" And at rare, rare times, they will give someone not of their kind a gift of magic--,"

Anniya took one final, desperate gaze into the crowd. Her eyes were surprisingly dry, but she felt the hysteria coming. She saw no sign of anyone she knew, save the monarchs. And a lot of help they had turned out to be. They were part of the reason she was up here in the first place.

"With the Queen, the magic would of died if she had not poured it into something, which was the necklace."

Anniya stepped up on the stool. An oddly strong breeze passed through the crowd, and Anniya felt a tingle of something. 

"The magic has at last been freed, and it poured back into you."

An oddly strong breeze passed through the crowd, and Anniya felt a tingle of something. And as she gazed out at all the hating faces, Anniya realized something that she should of seen all along, something that everyone had been trying to tell her. She had just been too stubborn to see it. The old elf's final, chilling words rang in her head.

"You are the magic now."

The executioner kicked the stool from underneath her feet.

Anniya jerked down, and any air she had in her throat jumped out. She was being strangled, but it had no affect on her magic. It leaped out from her, searching for help. 

The crowd gasped and made whooping noises. Anniya coughed and choked, and frantically kicked the air. What she had been dreading all along finally hit her: Anniya was about to die. She shut her eyes.

An unearthly scream pierced the air a deafening volume. The ground suddenly began shaking uncontrollably. The jeering cries suddenly turned fearful as the earth vibrated her fury. Anniya averted her eyes toward the sunset, hope suddenly seizing her heart. 

Three great shadows flew in front of the sun. 

Screams and cries of terror erupted from the crowd as the great clearing turned into mass confusion. No one knew what was going on, other then that it was dangerous. The guards barked out commands that no one heeded, and for once, both peasants and nobility were equals. 

Anniya's magic faded out, as did the rest of her senses. The desperate struggle for air was becoming all too important. The feeling was past discomfort, and was now a pain ripping her body in two. 

Another scream shot through the air, and this time trees fell to the ground. Anniya averted her eyes to the sky and at last saw what she and the crowd already knew. 

Three adult Emperor dragons soared through the sky. Against the sunset, they were creatures of dangerous beauty. The first two dived down towards the crowd, and swooped up again. One was a glittering black, while the other was a blinding blue green. Their gigantic leathery wings flapped, sending great gusts of wind down to the earth. Both of their eyes were a cat gold swirled with colors like the sunset itself. Their size together rivaled Dame Olga's manor. Several guards started moving toward Anniya.

The one behind them faced the sunset. It was an emerald green, with emerald eyes. It was considerably smaller then the other two, not fully grown yet. But for it's size, it was considered an adult. Gleex spread his wings out and let a final, ear shattering cry before diving to earth. The other two magnificent beast opened their mouths and fire fell to the earth like rain. 

Anniya gave up and hung there, her eyes finally closing. Flames roared up around her, cutting her off from the guards. She squinted. Was she so far dead that she was seeing ogres? 

An arrow shot through the air, and sliced the rope right above her head. Anniya tumbled to the ground, her eyes closed. She lay there several moments in shock. 

" Anniya! Anniya, talk to me," someone shouted, shaking her by roughly by the shoulders. Her eyes opened slightly, and West came into focus. His face was dirt streaked and close to hers. It was a miracle she could make out that much. 

" Breathe, damn it!" He pressed hard on her chest several times. Anniya coughed a few times, then began gasping for breath. West jerked her up by her shoulders, waiting patiently while she regained her breath. The gasps turned into tears, and without really thinking about anything else, Anniya wrapped West in a great hug. He allowed her to hold him several moments and him to smooth her hair down. 

  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Robert didn't know what was going on. Not more then fifteen minutes after the Queen had left, the ground has started shaking, and an ear-splitting screams had echoed throughout the dungeon. Guards were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. In all of the excitement, he had seemed to have been forgotten about. 

" Unlock his door. I have specific orders to bring him to the King. Quickly, now," barked a guard a few inches shorter then Robert himself, dashing his hopes of toying with the lock. The four guards behind him enforced that. The guard yanked the key out of his pocket and stuck it in the door. 

Robert might of never guessed who it was if the guard hadn't fiddled with the lock for just a little too long. In frustration and annoyance, he finally glanced up. Impish blue green eyes smiled, and Robert would of known that gorgeous olive skin from anywhere. 

It was a good disguise. Her massive amounts of hair were buried underneath a hat, her natural height made her even with the men, as did her low voice. Her guard uniform was slightly baggy, but no one seemed to take the time to look in the dark dungeon. 

Another scream shook the earth. Esperanza whirled around to the other guards.

" I'll knock him out. Go find Captain Di Sans immediately! Quickly, he'll know what's going on," Esperanza barked, as if she had complete power over all of them. 

The guards were as eager to get out as Robert was, apparently. Keeping their hands on their swords, they walked stoically away, the relief written all over their faces. 

Esperanza jammed the key into the keyhole once again, and twisted it quickly. The door swung open, and she rushed in. Surprisingly, Esperanza threw her arms around him and hugged him.

" Are you alright," the gypsy asked at the exact same time as Robert.

" You first," they immediately said again. 

Esperanza chuckled and Robert grinned, for a moment. 

" They haven't done a thing to me, yet. I think the Count wanted to, and the king was so angry he almost might of agreed, but the Queen wouldn't here of it. She believes that I'm innocent. Now what about you?" 

Esperanza's eyes widened at memories, and she visibly shuddered. 

" There are ogres. I don't know what kind, but they have some kind of sorcery. One pretended to be you, and had me tell what we planned to do."

Robert sucked in his breath. So that's how the Count had managed to frame him. Every step Robert had taken, the Count had taken two. It would of been remarkably easy to frame him. Esperanza continued. 

" I just laid there for-I don't know how long. West finally showed up, and I thought it was an ogre again. But it was him. He got me out of there, even with two ogres at the door. I woke up just in time to see him drive daggers through the door. I stayed conscious long enough to see the ogres lying in their own blood, so I think West drove it into their brains. 

I didn't wake up again until we were some miles away from Frell. Then we split up. West went to go and try to stop the hanging, and I ran to get you out," Esperanza finished.

" One more thing. Why is the earth shaking, and what is screaming?" 

A fearful look crossed Esperanza's face. " I don't really know, but it is coming from the clearing where Anniya was to be hung." 

Robert jumped up, and remembered Anniya's magic. What had Anniya done? 

" Do you know how to get out of here?"

" Hopefully." 

" That's not exactly comforting." 

Esperanza shrugged her shoulders and motioned for him to follow her. 

" Where are we headed?"

" The stables. West is off playing hero, and we need to get there and see if we can do something."

Robert started to follow her, not too certain in Esperanza's talent in guiding. But Esperanza managed to get them to the stables. It wasn't hard at all. The castle was in mass confusion. It was filled with servants, knights, and the members of the royal court. No one gave them a second thought as they passed. It was odd, thinking of Robert and Esperanza working together. Robert was a prince. Esperanza was a gypsy, the hated scum of society. That they should even exchange words was a miracle in itself. But of course, Esperanza wasn't just any gypsy, just like Robert wasn't an average prince. 

Robert opened the first two stalls, and two mares trotted out, neighing nervously. Robert sloppily put bridles on both of them, and turned to Esperanza. 

" Can you ride bare back?" 

" The more appropriate question would be can I ride a horse at all." 

Robert stared at her disbelieving. " You've never ridden a horse by yourself? Good god. Well, it's time to learn. Take the roan."

He thrust the reins to her, and Esperanza reluctantly took them. Robert grabbed her by her slender waist and placed her on the horse. 

" Pull the reins to stop her, and kick her to press her on. If she runs wild, hold on for dear life and scream out my name. There's your lessons, your good to go."

Robert turned and climbed his own horse. He kicked it, and the horse shot out of the stable, Esperanza's following closely. Holding the reins with one hand, Robert rubbed his eyes, and inhaled for a moment. Esperanza realized it a few moments before Robert. 

" Robert? I smell smoke." 

Robert nodded, and looked up, in the direction of the large clearing where hangings took place. Long, wavy arms of black smoke rose from it. The fire had to be gigantic. Robert kicked the horse again, and it went from a quick counter to a fast gallop. The screams of people were to be heard all around, and Robert wondered what was happening. 

Esperanza suddenly screamed, and both horses reared, whinnying their fright. Robert glanced up, and saw what was striking terror into the hearts of Frell. 

A humongous, fire breathing dragon flew high into the sky. It scales were a glittering black, and against the sun, Robert would know that it was probably the most terrifying moment of his life. A full grown emperor dragon had not been seen in centuries. 

A thought suddenly occurred to him, at that moment. He didn't know why it hadn't triggered in his mind before. If there were dragons swarming the clearing, the monarchs would head immediately for the safest place; the castle. And if he had thought of it, the Count would of most certainly had; the man was thought to be a genius. It would be a much easier take over if all of the knights and guards were fighting for control at the clearing, while the king and queen would have little protection at the castle. He turned his horse back towards the castle, and called out to Esperanza.

" It's a trick! The Count's betting on the fact that all of the royal palace will be in the clearing, trying to get things under control. The King and Queen will retreat to the castle." 

Esperanza arched an eyebrow at him. 

" So this means.....," she said, the question in her voice. Robert grimaced.

" This means we turn around and defend the castle."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


	41. Chapter 40: The Duel

  
  


The Count looked out into the fire, pausing before he entered the carriage. He hadn't expected the damn dragons.

Everything had been going according to plan. It had been mere moments before the ogres were about flood the clearing. But then the dragons had came, and had immediately began burning the ogres.

It had been Eirene's daughter. There was no doubt in the question. Somehow she had summoned up her power to call on the dragons. But how? The Count had consulted his most powerful books of sorcery to create the potion that would drug her of her powers. 

He could only hope that this would continue smoothly, as much as the Count hated to rely on hope. Thankfully, TSSal had swooped in on the King and Queen immediately, so they had been secured before the chaos broke out. Several other ogres had found the princess trying to ride away, and had brought her back to him. But that still didn't solve his problems with the dragons.

The comely princess abruptly wrenched her hand out of the Count's grip. He easily caught her wrist, and twisted it harshly. The girl let out a yelp, and tears fell down her face once again. The Count frowned. Eirene would of never cried in the face of danger. 

" Head to the palace. TSSal should be there with the King and Queen already," he instructed his coachmen, and swung the princess up into the carriage. Her ebony hair was plastered to her face from sweat, and her green flecked chestnut eyes were riddled with anger. But at the same time, the Count acknowledged with satisfaction that the princess was sufficiently scared. 

" You won't get away with this! Do you think that my father would stand it? Do you think Char would let it happen? No one would follow you and your despicable ogres," she spat, her voice quavering slightly. The Count smiled at her, and patted her hand. The Princess flinched. 

The carriage lurched forward, and the Count sat back. It was a matter of hours before the Count would rule Kyrria. He stroked his mustache with pleasure, the smile on his face growing. He slipped the diamond ring out of his pocket, and lifted the Princess's trembling hand. In a smooth motion, the Count slipped the ring on, and sealed it with magic. 

" What are you doing!," the Princess screamed, and immediately began yanking the ring. As the Count had made sure, the ring didn't slide off. 

" I trusted you. My parents trusted you. Char trusted you. The entire kingdom trusted you. And all along, you've been a lying, cheating traitor. Whatever you hope to accomplish with this ring, I will not do," the princess shouted again, her eyes flashing. 

She wasn't like any other in her family, the Count had realized that a long time ago. The Princess Cecilia had none of the families shyness, and had the spunk that the family lacked. 

The Count took his precious time answering her rants, taking a small pleasure in her discomfort. " My dear, there is nothing lying or cheating about my ruling this kingdom. By marrying the heir, this is perfectly legal," he said smoothly.

The Count watched her face. It took the princess Cecilia several moments to realize what was her fate. 

Her face abruptly turned horrified. " Never! There is nothing that could make me ever consider marrying.......you!," she spat, pushing herself as far away from his as she could. 

" My dear, as much as I would love to placate you, I'm afraid that you have no say in the matter. Just as you have no say about the ring," the Count told her lazily, looking out the window. The smoke still raged in the air. The Princess remained silent. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Anniya clung to West, sobs still racking through her body. She had almost died. If West had been a moment late, she would of died. 

" It's alright, everything will be fine. It's alright," West repeated several times, continuing to smooth her blonde hair. 

" I almost died," Anniya told him, hiccuping. She felt the need to point out the obvious. 

" But your alive right now, aren't you? Damn, I'm lucky that I got here in time," West said softly, more to himself then to Anniya.

His grip on her tightened, and she relaxed, happy to be against his strong chest. She was lucky that West had such a precise aim. He had cut through the rope first arrow. 

" Did you find Esperanza? Have you seen Robert or Char? Oh, thank god you finally came....," Anniya asked him, falling into hysterics once again. She suddenly realized that his pale green eyes were staring at something. She followed his gaze just in time to see the Count slamming the coach door shut. And to see Ogres heading toward them. West abruptly stood up, yanking Anniya up with him. 

" Can you ride right now?," he demanded. 

Before she could answer, West let out a piercing whistle. A familiar whinny filled the air, and a horse galloped up along side the blazing platform. Anniya stared at the horse. 

" I swear, this must be the tenth time the bloody thing has come back from the dead," she told West, eyeing the horse with distaste. No matter what happened, they couldn't get rid of it. The ebony horse in question snorted and tossed it's head. Anniya glared at it. Their feelings were mutual.

" I don't give a damn if it's the tenth, get on the horse!," West told her, his voice ringing with anger.

Considering he had just saved her life, Anniya, for once in her life, obeyed. West jumped down behind her, and grabbed the reins. With one swift kick, Diobla raced crashed into the crowd, away from the ogres, and the Count's carriage. 

" West! The carriage is that way! He's going to get away," Anniya yelled over the roar of the fire and the masses. 

" Thank you for pointing out the obvious. Are they following us?" was the well groomed, sarcastic reply. He kicked Diobla again, and the horse burst forward with a higher speed. 

Anniya didn't need to answer. The sweet, oily voices drifted from behind her, and only because of the screams of the dragons and the people Anniya could not make out what they were saying. 

West abruptly turned Diobla down a right alley, then down a left. Every several minutes he switched directions. At last, he halted in front of a seemingly deserted inn. 

Anniya glanced at him, confused. Wasn't this the part when they were suppose to chase after the 'bad' guys. " West, why are we--,"

" You don't think that I'm going to let you charge through Frell while you're half dead, do you?," West asked her, his tone telling her he didn't really expect an answer. She gave him one anyway. 

" I'm not half dead! You're exaggerating, but I really can't say that's a surprise," Anniya snapped half heartedly.

" I doubt the Count or one of his charming little playthings will look for you here. I can put some salve on your bruises, and you can stay here until this is all over," he told her, ignoring her last comment. 

With that, West gingerly lifted her off the Diobla, and knocked twice on the door. After a few moments, no one answered. 

" Well, this is refreshing. The one time when manners could be excused, you decide to use them," Anniya grumbled, and kicked the door with all her might. 

To her surprise, West pulled out a key from his pocket. It slid into the lock, and the door clicked open. Anniya stared at him in disbelief. West caught her gaze, and grinned. 

" How did you get a key?," she demanded. 

He gave a little shrug, but she could of sworn that a smile played his lips. " Victoria. She's a tavern maid here."

" How old was she?," Anniya asked as innocently as possible. Somehow she was getting the feeling that Victoria wasn't some middle aged, matronly old woman. 

West gave another shrug, and stepped inside. " A year or two your senior, I'd suspect." 

" Yet another misled lass who you charmed to death? Am I the only girl who can see your true colors? I must be, considering I'm the only one who hasn't slept with you yet," Anniya snapped, and felt a scowl forming on her face. 

She abruptly blushed as she recalled the one time she and West had shared a bed. " Literally, I meant," she amended. 

But West kindly took no notice of her blush, and ushered her inside. Quickly, he turned around and locked the door. 

The inn was no different from any other inns Anniya had been in during the past year. The assortment of tables, the stained wooden floors, the front counter. But at the same time, it was slightly more eerie. Inns weren't inns unless they were flooding with life, ale, and talk. The moon cast light into the shadows, but the darkness still unnerved her. 

" It'd be easier if we went upstairs. That way if anyone tries to get in, we'll have some forewarning. Can you climb up them?," West asked her, interrupting her thoughts. 

Anniya glanced at them, and nodded. Her body still ached from her....encounter with the Count. She walked ahead of West, trying to conceal her limp. Only thirteen steps. 

It was much easier said then done. West walked slowly behind her, and credited her pride by not offering assistance. 

Her knees abruptly buckled on the top step. Anniya slammed on the hard, cold wooden floor, and her bruises stung more then ever. 

" Anniya? Are you alright?" West was, of course, there in a moment. 

" I'm fine," she replied, gritting her teeth. West ignored her, and picked her up in one gallant gesture. 

" Don't complain. We'll be here all night if I don't carry you." 

Anniya had no intention of doing so. Although she did object to being carried around as if she were a cat, her body ached too much to do otherwise. She shut her eyes and relaxed. It was relieved to let someone else take charge. 

She felt herself being eased down onto a bed. West's warm presence abruptly left her, but Anniya kept her eyes shut. Sleep was her new companion. 

" Anniya? You can't go to sleep yet. Can you sit up for me?"

Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and pushed herself up. She was all too aware of the stinging bruises, and sharply inhaled. 

The room was small, but had several items in it. A full length mirror was in one corner, next to the plain fire place. A vase was filled with drooping roses, and a small wooden night table was next to the straw bed. An open window let in a cool, mysterious breeze, and the moonlight splattered down on West's hair, making the gold stand out in the dark room. But Anniya didn't feel uneasy as she had in the other rooms. This one seemed to have a comforting presence in it. 

" Turn your back to me," West asked her quietly, and Anniya obeyed. She lifted the back of her shirt slightly, high enough so West would be able to get the worst first. The cool salve touched her skin, and Anniya let out a sigh. But finally, she blurted out the question that had been hounding her ever since the Count had captured her. 

" Where is Robert and Char? Did you ever find Esperanza? Where were you, for so long, I thought you had----," 

" Robert is being held in the dungeons, according to my sources. No one knows where Char is, although I damn wish we did. I found Esperanza though. She was in...........," his voice trailed off. " By god, what did he do to you?" 

Anniya was silent for a few moments. She shut her eyes again, and hoped that West would let the question past. She didn't want to recall the intense pain, or the amused voice. 

" Anniya, what did he do to you?," West asked her again loudly, and this time his voice was angry. 

" I don't know," Anniya mumbled, wrenching her shoulders out of his grip. She didn't want to talk about it. She rubbed her eyes, determined not to cry. A rogue tear slid down her cheeks anyway. Crying seemed to be all she did, as of the late. 

" Anniya..........," West tried again, more softly. He took her by her shoulders and turned her towards him. She wiped a tear away as he did. She was determined to not let him see her cry.

For a few moments, they both sat there in silence. 

" I'm guessing he stretched you. Judging from the marks," West said quietly. 

For a reason even unknown to her, Anniya got defensive. " How would you know?," she snapped harshly. 

West took no offense. " Because I had the same marks after I spent nearly a year with him." 

Anniya opened her mouth to deny it, but fell silent. What she had gone through once, he had endured many more times. The Count hadn't any intent of killing West or her. 

For the first time, Anniya understood West. Why he had been so angry at her when he had found her with Robert. Why he had used his off sense of humor to cover his pain. And why he had hated the Count as he had. But most of all, why he wanted Char to prevail in this power struggle. 

" West, I'm......," Anniya searched for words, but none came. 

Robert flew away from her mind, and was replaced by her best friend. West smiled wryly, and at that moment, the glistening moonlight seemed to focus on only them. 

" You're trembling," he told her, and Anniya was consciously aware that his face was coming closer to hers. He paused, and brushed a snowy lock out of her face. 

" I'm not trembling," Anniya protested. She closed her eyes as West kissed her softly on the lips, pulling her close to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, with growing urgency. The rest of the world slid away immediately, and for a moment, the hellish surrounding seemed to turn into heaven. Anniya had forgotten how it felt to be kissed by him. 

All of the sudden, West broke away, roughly and abrupt. Anniya opened her eyes in surprise, blinking several times. What had happened? 

" West.......?"

She met his pale green eyes, and noticed that his breath was as haggard as hers. He had liked kissing her, she knew that much. So what had gone wrong? 

" What in god's name was I doing? What was I thinking? I've been here long enough, I need to leave before I do any other damn thing with.....," West swore angrily, more to himself then to Anniya.. He stood up, ending the magical moment for certain. 

Anniya leaped up. " West, if you think leaving me in here is the right thing, you are wrong. You won't be five feet out the door before I come after you. I'm not going to sit around with the Count running around!" 

" I'm not going to let you die. Robert would have my head," West told her simply, and moved toward the door. 

Robert. 

Thoughts of Robert immediately flew back into Anniya's mind. She was confused all over again. As West stepped out the door, she grabbed onto his wrist. 

He paused briefly, and dug into his pocket. He pulled out a small object and placed it in Anniya's hand. 

" I'll be back," he told her, and kissed the top of her head. He closed the door, and Anniya stood there. 

There wasn't really anything else to do. So many thoughts and emotions were racing through her head, all that she could do was try to sort them. 

Taking a deep breath, she looked at the cold object West had placed in her hand. 

Anniya stared at it, completely transfixed. In her palm was the most magnificent ring she had ever seen. Even in the dim light, the gold glittered and shone like it was alive. In the center of the ring was a gryphon with a scroll in it's mouth. It's wings were outlined in diamonds, and it's eye was a glistening ruby. Anniya was holding none other then the ring of Kellia. A million thoughts flew through her mind. This ring was meant for the crown prince, why did West have it? Had he stolen it from Robert? Or was it some kind of replica? Maybe West was just holding onto it for Robert?

And above all, why had he given it to Anniya? 

She heard Diobla whinny, and the sound of hooves riding away. Anniya glanced out the window in time to see West riding away. 

Well, Anniya didn't know what West thought, but disobeying his directions was something that came with no qualms at this point. She would rest for a bit, just enough for the salve to kick in. But there was there was no chance that Anniya was going to sit while her friends could be in danger. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

  
  


" Robert! Hurry, we don't have much time left," Esperanza told him urgently in a hushed whisper. " They'll check this hallway in moments!"

The lock clicked, and Robert shoved it open. He did remember some elementary lock picking.

Ogres had invaded the castle minutes after he and Esperanza had entered it. Immediately they had began rounding up anyone remaining in the castle, and locking them up in Robert's favorite place: the dungeon. Esperanza had spotted the King and Queen in a carriage window, both chained. The Count was no where to be seen, and neither was the princess. Robert knew it would only be a matter of time before they arrived, just like there was only a matter of time before they were caught. 

Taking one last glance at the hallway, Robert dashed in. Esperanza slammed the door behind him, latching it firmly. Robert shook his head, and undid the lock.

" If the door's locked, they'll know that someone's in here. All that they have to do is break down the door," he told her. 

Esperanza shook her head. " Not necessarily. This is a gigantic castle. They're not going to break down every single bloody door. And they'll probably check all these rooms regardless. Locking the door will at least give us sometime to stall." 

Robert sighed, and stepped away from the lock. In the short time he had known her, he had come to know that Esperanza always could support her arguments. 

" Alright, we'll lock it. That's settled. Now we move on to new issues." 

" Such as forming a plan? Defending the castle is a bit vague," Esperanza said with a touch of sarcasm in her voice. Robert could see why she and Anniya had become such good friends. 

" Obviously," he said dryly. He could hear doors being banged open from down the hall. 

" Alright; we need to find the King and Queen, and free them. That's our only hope, as of now." 

" Hiding might be a good idea as well. Listen," Robert told her. 

Esperanza sent him an annoyed look, but stopped talking. Color drained from her face. And Robert realized how much more clear the voices had become. 

" It's locked," a muffled voice from outside mumbled. 

The door twisted several times, and Robert was immediately grateful that Esperanza had insisted on locking the door. Esperanza dived gracefully underneath the bed, and Robert rolled under after her. 

The musty smell made him cough several times, and Esperanza nudged him. Several moments later, she sneezed. At this rate, the ogres would have to be deaf not to hear them. 

But to Robert's amazement, their excessive noise seemed to go unnoticed. The turning of the door knob stopped. He breathed a sigh of relief, and felt Esperanza do the same from behind him. Thank god. He was suffocating underneath the low bed. Esperanza had been right. They didn't have time to open every single locked door; they would go unnoticed. 

Famous last thoughts. 

" Break down the door," a raspy voice commanded. 

Esperanza sharply inhaled, and Robert knew that at that moment, he had to do something. He hadn't done very many heroic things in his life, but by god, one of them he was going to do at this moment. He shifted uncomfortably, and faced Esperanza.

" I'm going to give myself up; under the bed is the first place they'll look, and then both of us are going to be captured. They'll be looking for me, whereas they won't even know who you are." 

" That's insane! What if they just glance around and leave? Then you'll have wasted yourself for nothing! This is not a time to be gallant," Esperanza hissed. 

" I'm not be gallant, I'm being reasonable. Just find the King and Queen, alright." 

The door shuddered once; someone, or more likely, something, had just thrown it's weight against it. 

Nothing could of surprised Robert more then what happened next. Face to face with Esperanza, underneath the low, dusty bed, the gypsy girl leaned over and kissed him quickly on the lips. 

" Go! If you want to be gallant you'd better bloody hurry up!"

Robert rolled out from underneath the bed just as the door crashed down. 

  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


The King and Queen's private chambers were breathtakingly beautiful. Exotic fairy rugs covered the wooden floors, and paintings lined the walls. Antique furniture had been placed in various corners of the room, and the fire roared. West paused for several moments, looking around. He quietly walked around the room before heading into the next one. West froze as he put his ear to the door. Quiet sobbing was heard. The sobbing of a young girl. 

West slid the door open a crack, his hand on his sword. 

It was yet another comely room. Obviously the private dining room, a chandelier hung from the ceiling, and a painting of a feast hung on the wall. The maple wood table glistened from the light of the candles. There were over a dozen chairs, and only two of them occupied. 

Tears streamed down the Princess Cecilia's face as the Count held a knife to her throat. West strained his ears, trying to catch what they were saying. 

" What have you done with my parents? And where is Char? They will not give their consent, as I will not give mine!," she sobbed, her voice hysterical. West felt pity for the girl. She looked to be fourteen, perhaps a bit older. Her ebony hair was curly, and her wide chestnut eyes matched her mother's and Char's. West felt sick as a thought occurred to him. Had the Count hurt the princess, in any way? Anger boiled inside of him. And what was this talk of consent? Surely the Count didn't plan to marry the Princess? 

The Count's slick smile increased the terror on the girl's face. " Oh don't worry. They're in good hands." 

West cursed himself for not thinking to do something about the King and Queen as soon as possible. And the princess. With Char off somewhere, Cecilia was currently the only heir the Count had to worry about. 

" I won't marry you! Just because this ring is on my hand seal my fate," Cecilia told him fearfully. The Count smiled, and shrugged his shoulders in the most elegant manner possible. 

" Let's just wait and see, shall we." 

West stood up, and the floorboards creaked. Time to make his entrance. It was clear that Count wasn't planning to tell her anything, only tormenting her. 

The Princess's eyes widened, and West swung the door open completely. The Count didn't even have to turn around before he spoke. 

" Well, well. This certainly is a surprise. Never did I believe that I would meet the esteemed Arien Westkander Di Calixte the third of Kellia under circumstances like these," the Count said mockingly, smiling. 

West merely smiled back. " The honor is mine, my Count," he said, and did a mock bow. 

West would never know how the Count came to know of his heritage. It was around the first time he had been thrown in the dungeon that the Count had mentioned it. Robert, Esperanza, the Count, and West himself were the ones who carried the burden of the secret. 

The next few moments became one of the most famous in Kyrrian history. Never would another time come when two men with such dark secrets, and such power face each other down again. 

The Count smiled at West's remark, and snapped his fingers. A shadow moved out of the darkness, and led the Princess into the next room. She cast a desperate look at West, trying to decide if he was there to help her. 

" My lady," he said as he bowed, in all earnestness. He hoped it would comfort her. The first monarch he had ever bowed to out of free will. He was rewarded by the relief in her eyes. West turned back to face the Count. 

The Count had been assessing him while West had been looking at Cecilia. He stroked his mustache, and shook his head, pulling out his sword. 

" This is a duel I have been waiting to fight for a long time. Over the years, I have bested many men. There has never been a man that I have lost to when I have put my all into the fight. And I find it interesting, Calixte, that I have finally met my match." 

" Stabbing men in their back's doesn't count as dueling, Fallon. Perhaps by your standards, but not anyone with a code of honor," West said smoothly, drawing out his blade. 

It was Robert that was the swordsman. It was Robert who had trained since he was a child. But yet, it was West who used his sword when it came to the final battle. 

The Count chuckled softly, and took his blade out as well. It was one of the two weapons that hung on his belt. The other was a silver, Bastian dagger. Even from where West was standing, he could see the light reflecting off it. And the sword was as smooth and as well polished as Robert's. The hilt was engraved with rubies, and dragons. Both swords glittered from the candles in the chandelier. 

West met the Count's eyes dead on. The Count opened his mouth, and the word came out in one silky line. 

" Begin." 

The silver steel crashed together. West immediately advanced, recalling how offense was the best defense. Once one started to defend himself, he ended slowly retreating, until there was nowhere left to go. However, the Count adopted the Auklet defense, and managed to stand his ground, without moving forward or backward. 

Without warning, the Count broke out of the defense and lunged at West. He backed up a few steps, but did not stumble. Stumbling was a sentence of death in this duel. But even backing up a few steps had cost him precious time. The Count advanced on West, and he found himself slowly backing up towards the wall. 

Gritting his teeth, West fought more swiftly, with firmness. The further he retreated, the harder it would be to advance. Steadily, he advanced a few more steps, sweat covering his brow. He blocked the Count's thrust, and parried. He immediately followed up with a lunge of his own, straight into the Count's right shoulder. 

First blood was West's. It wasn't much, but indeed, within moments, the Count's shoulder began to turn crimson. The Count's steel colored eyes flashed, and he switched hands. West switched them as well. It was a left handed duel now. 

The Count's blade flashed faster then ever, and grazed just past West's right ear. He barely blocked it in time. West barely had time to recover from the first attack before the second and the third came. 

" I must say, for a man of your limited abilities, you're giving me quite a performance. I am impressed," the Count told him, the blade still whipping through the air. 

West blocked the blow, and advanced with the Sieterra attack. " And the same to you. And perhaps I should say limited life as well. After this jolly execution, I'm sure the royals will want to give another one in your honor," West replied, the sarcasm in his voice apparent.

A large cracking noise was suddenly heard, and West sniffed the air. The smoke didn't seem to be coming from outside, as he had thought. It was coming from within. It would probably be within five minutes that the roof crashed in. 

The Count used the distraction to his advantage. He lunged, and caught West off guard. West stumbled. The Count quickly thrust his sword again, and this time it ripped the cloth, grazing West's chest. He swore, and continued blocking. 

" Perhaps it won't be my execution. Perhaps it will be that charming little whore of yours. Or maybe, even better, that bastard, second in line brother of yours," the Count taunted. 

The smoke had begun to filter down into the room, and little did the Count know that he had added wood to West's fire. 

His pale green eyes flashed, and West lunged. In less then a moment, the Count's sword flew across the room and West's sword was on the Count's neck. 

" You may insult me. You may insult the Kyrrian monarchs, you may insult my country, you may insult just about any damn thing you please. But you will not insult Anniya. And you will never even dare to speak of my brother in that tone, especially when he is worth ten of you! In fact, you will never speak again," West spat angrily, his eyes flashing. He moved the sword back a bit for a clean cut when a scream suddenly cut through the air. 

" West!" 

Anniya's scream. West forgot about everything else, and whirled around. 

She stood in the door way, her face flushed from the heat, and from no doubt, running. West immediately regretted leaving her in the inn. Chains wouldn't of kept her at that place. 

" Don't kill him. Just let him go, West. Don't kill him," she pleaded, glancing at the Count. His face remained impassive. 

West stared at her, wondering if it was truly her. Was the girl stricken with a fever? This was the same man who had tried to kill her, the Kyrrian monarchs, her friends, her dragon, everything she held dear. And now she wanted him to live? 

She read the question in his eyes, and her face did not change.

" I can't explain why...........", Anniya began. Her face suddenly became deathly white. "..NO!," she screamed. 

West whirled around, sword in hand, but not fast enough. The Count's Bastian dagger sank into his chest. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Even in death, West remained as charming and smooth as ever. He stared at Anniya in shock and then, gripping the dagger with both hands, pulled it out. It dropped from his hand, clattering onto the wood floor. He sank down onto his knees, not saying a word. 

Anniya stared at West, trying to comprehend what she had just did. She had just killed him. She had just killed him. Within moments she was at his side. 

He way lying down now. His eyes were closed, and his golden hair was tousled as usual. The side of his face was grazed slightly, and smudged with dirt. Her eyes traveled down to his chest. His tunic was soaked with blood, and his breathing was short and raspy. 

Anniya placed her hand on him, and concentrated with all of her power to try and heal him. Nothing came, not even a tingle. 

Oh, not now. The one time when she wanted her power to work, it wouldn't come. She tried again, but the tingling feeling of her magic didn't come. 

" West, I'm so sorry. I should of let you kill him. You were right. I don't know why I told you to stop, I just didn't want you to sink down to his level. I never thought that he would take your life when you were about to spare his, I didn't West. I don't want you to die, I don't," Anniya told him, finally giving up. 

She tasted the salty tears that began to trickle down her cheeks. She never should of called on her magic to make come to the castle. She had used it's last stores, and now West was going to die.

His eyelids blinked once or twice, and Anniya looked into his pale green eyes with her tear filled emerald ones. He weakly smiled at her.

" I suppose I look pretty damn bad, don't I," he told her softly. It only made more tears come. Even as he was dying, he still sounded like West. 

" I'm sorry--," Anniya began again, hiccuping. 

West interrupted her. " Tell Robert watch out for you. Tell him that I'm sorry for ...everything.....he'll be a.......good king." 

Anniya stopped trying to say anything. Her throat was couldn't produce words. It had been bad when John had died, horrible when her mother and father had. But for some reason, whatever horrible pains Anniya had experienced, they were all a fraction to compared what she was going through at that moment. 

West brushed a lock of blonde hair out of her face. " You are so amazing," he told her quietly, his grin at last fading. " Watch out for yourself.....You are the only girl I ever....."

West's voice faded out, and the two sets of green eyes met each other for what Anniya realized was the final time. He exhaled, and shut them. Anniya could hardly ask herself the question. Was West dead? 

The Count laughed, and kicked West. It brought Anniya to her senses. 

" You bastard," she said slowly, picking up West's bloody sword. She said it again, this time louder. " You slimy, disgusting, bastard!," she spat, her eyes blazing. She gripped onto the sword, remembering her fencing lessons. 

" Aye, the girl's got natural talent. More talent then I've ever seen in any man or boy, and more then I'll likely ever see," she recalled her fencing teacher saying. It had been a long time since she had picked up a sword, but her anger was driven now. 

She would slice him into small bits, piece by piece. She would make him beg for mercy, but Anniya wouldn't give it a second time. She would dance on his grave; no, he didn't even deserve a grave. 

" My, my. This is charming. I won't fight you girl; your wasting my time." 

Anniya hardly heard him. The Count snapped his fingers, and two cloaked figures came from the right. They picked up West, and Anniya forgot about the Count for a moment. 

" Where are you taking him," she screamed, whirling on them. The figures didn't answer, and the Count shrugged his shoulders. 

" Oh trust me, it's not something you really have to worry about anymore. TSSal! Take care of her," the Count said lazily. He strode out of the room, not taking a second glance back at her. 

The anger in Anniya's blood ran swift now. She moved to follow him, but stopped at the sight of the humongous, cloaked figure stepping from out of the shadows. 

Anniya stared at it. She hadn't noticed it before; it had to be sorcery. 

The cloaked figure pulled back it's hood, and Anniya immediately wished it hadn't. 

The ogre's hideous, dried blue green skin almost seemed translucent in the dim light. It's raven hair was tangled all over it's face, and the creature's mouth was curved upward in a smile, revealing blood caked incisors. His beady black eyes met hers. 

" Lady Anniya.............," the ogre purred, advancing on her. 

The voice jolted Anniya's angry thoughts. The voice was eerily familiar, more so then any other ogre might sound. Like she had encountered it before. And suddenly, Anniya realized why it was so familiar. 

" You killed my mother." 

The ogre stopped it's advances for a moment, surprised as Anniya was stunned. The creature's voice was the same one that she had heard crouching in the tree trunk so long ago. 

It wasn't long before the scowl turned into a sickly smile. 

" The only ogre who wasn't gutted by the Count," the thing told her sweetly, and began approaching her once again. 

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****Author's note****

  
  


I know, I know, I'm cruel! This is one of my worst cliffhangers yet. But I want to get another chapter out, since I'm going to go visit my cousin for two weeks( yeah, so the next chapter won't be up for probably another three weeks. I have then a space of a week to try and finish up this story, because I go on vacation for another three weeks then, and I'll be too busy sightseeing & stuff like that to work on Anniya. 

That's why I wrote you guys a nice, eleven page chapter filled with romance, adventure, & some sadness. It took me awhile to get it out, due to severe writer's block; I wanted this chapter to be as perfect as the last one( last chapter was the most satisfying one I've written so far, in my opinion). And although some parts of it didn't turn out exactly the way I planned, I was satisfied to get the chapter out today. 

And Thanks for all the fabulous reviews. My reviewers are the best! So now that I've given you an eleven page chapter, give me some reviews back! Thanks again! 

  
  
  
  


P.S- for anyone who cares, I updated Mermaid. 


	42. Chapter 41

Maria sat close to her mother in the cramped dungeon quarters. She was a pretty girl, with long red hair and a shimmer of freckles. She was fourteen years old, nearly fifteen. Practically a woman, but in some respects, a girl. 

The ogres had come when she was in the healing room stripping the beds. The ogres had come in so fast; Maria had been too stunned to struggle. But her friend Ariel hadn't, and Maria had seen her neck snapped with ease. Within moments, Maria and her mother had been taken to the dungeon and put in the cell. It was further away from the other cells, as she was one of the last few to be caught. All cells were far apart though; to prevent communication, Maria's mother assumed. 

In a cell that was meant for eight people, there was sixteen. Everyone had been forced to stand for the past few hours. Some had urinated on the floor, and combined with the stench of the sweaty bodies, Maria felt nauseated. She coughed, and suddenly the servants in front of her fell silent. She strained her neck to see what had happened, and instantly shrank back. 

It was the creatures. The ogres. Those horrible things that had put their hands on her and shoved her into the cell. Maria sucked in her breath and kept her eyes on the floor. No one wanted to stand out in the crowd. 

The rasping voices said something in Ogrese, and Maria shivered. Just the thought of the glistening fangs made her shudder. Already they had taken out some of the prisoners, including Meg the kitchen maid. None of them had returned, and she had a eerie suspicion about their fate. 

The door opened, and the people stepped back. The sound of a body hitting the hard floor was heard, and the door slammed shut once more. 

Then the voice came. The voice that would give her nightmares in the years to come, and not her alone. Maria flinched as it echoed off the walls. 

" Anyone help him, and my lord will see you gutted himself. Understood," the rough, rasping voice asked lowly. 

Several people nodded slightly. The ogre seemed to be satisfied, and it slammed the door so hard the hinges rattled. Maria unfortunately knew that they did not rattle because of weakness, but because of the monster's unbelievable strength. 

Maria listened, hope rising in her as always. Her heart sank once more as the lock clicked. These creatures weren't stupid; they weren't going to forget to lock a door. Now there was a chance that they could open the lock themselves, but no one dared; to attempt would surely mean suicide. 

Several minutes passed, and no one moved an inch. Curiosity got the best of her, and Maria strained her neck to see who it was. 

The man seemed so familiar, and yet Maria could not place where she had seen him before. His pants and boots, now dirty and tattered, were those of a nobleman. 

Maria understood why no one was inching forward then. He was nobility; they didn't go out of their way to help the servants, and the only reasons that servants went out of their way to help the nobility was for the money. 

An uncomfortable feeling rose in her as she continued to scan him. It was hard to be a healer and watch someone go unattended, even if Maria herself only healed servants. The man was good looking, and his golden hair still shone in the dim light, despite it's sully condition. His face was cut and bruised, but that appeared to be the only injuries on him. But then Maria's eyes traveled down to his back. It was bare as she already knew, but Maria still drew in a gasp of breath. 

His back was completely destroyed from the work of a whip. Tattered skin hung in strips, and his entire backside was smeared with blood. There was a certain commanding presence about him, and Maria once again wondered who he was. 

He's probably dead, she told herself silently. They threw him in here to scare us.

Then, almost as if to prove her wrong, the man shifted and groaned. 

Oh, so now he decides to be alive. That was just her luck; Maria was going to have to withstand the drive in her spirit that told her to help the man. 

His eyelids fluttered, then suddenly snapped open. He exhaled deeply and looked around bewildered. " Where in god's name am I?"

No one seemed to offer an answer, and that seemed to unnerve the man. 

" What's happened? Why are we in here?," he asked again, his voice rising. The man rolled over onto his back, then let out a cry of pain. He immediately laid back down on his back, breathing hard. 

Maria studied his back, and knew that this man had to be suffering from severe blood loss. If he lived, these scars would never fade. 

The man closed his eyes for a moment, then reopened them. " Someone....someone help me. Do any of you know who I am," the man asked slowly. Maria stared dumbly at him, just like the rest of the servants did. 

Surprisingly, her mother spoke up. Her voice was quiet, but got it's point through. 

" You are the Prince Robert of Kellia. But I cannot say it matters much down here. The ogre's shall gut us, they said so themselves. Already they have killed some of us. We are all under their rule now; there is nothing that can change that. Obedience is our only hope of survival." her mother said gravely. 

Voices rose suddenly, for the first time since the ogres had thrown the man in the cell. Maria gaped at her mother, then the Prince. He was the prince! What was he doing in here? Were they really under the ogre's rule now?

" Do you believe that? It is not a group of rogue ogres that is behind this! It is Count Frederick Di Fallon! He's made an alliance with the ogres, you must see that!," the Prince said angrily, the passion equal in his voice. It was louder then her mother's, but still weak. He closed his eyes once more. 

The was a chuckle of nervous, scared laughter. Maria knew that the servants were only frightened, but overwhelming pity for them, herself, and the Prince swept over her. How could they laugh at a time like this? 

The laughter faded into still silence. Maria glanced at all of the faces, and suddenly felt angry. Were they submitting to the ogres? We're they going to let a man die? 

Hardly knowing what she was doing, Maria stepped forward. " I am a healer, the youngest in the palace, milord. I am relatively experienced, but I do not know if I can help you with no medical supplies."

" Maria! Don't, you don't understand the consequences! Maria," her mother cried. Maria ignored her. 

The man's startling blue gray eyes looked at her for the first time. 

" How old are you, lass?" 

" Fourteen, milord."

He studied her closely, as if he were looking for something. He abruptly stopped, and shut his eyes once more. 

" Please call me Robert," he said quietly, with an earnestness that touched Maria's heart. 

Her mother abruptly stepped forward and yanked her back. " Maria! Do you not understand what will happen to you? They will kill you, torture you to death! You know that, you foolish girl! You cannot be selfish and leave me and your sisters by ourselves! He is a spoiled prince, and if you could switch roles he would sooner let you die then sully his hands with us!," her mother hissed, the hysteria rising in her voice. 

Terror ran like wild through her body, but she held her ground. The rest of the servants watched them in silence, too scared to interfere.

" He will bleed to death, Mama." 

Before her mother could retort a number of sensible replies, the Prince spoke. 

" Your mother is right. Interfering with me will cause you a death in a far worse way. Just....leave me be," the prince said quietly. 

But Maria was too involved now. She bent down next to him, and asked what was no doubt on everyone's mind. 

" What would happen if I was to help you?" 

The Prince took a deep breath. " I would explain more in depth about why this is the work of the Count Di Fallon, and why the ogres have nothing to gain. And then, I would try to get us out of nightmare." 

" Explain about the Count again, if you please." 

The Prince met the eye of every single servant in the cell. " What do ogres have to gain from this? Their culture and way of life would never cause them to undergo an insane plot like storming the castle. The ogres do not sit and think things out like this; this would take a human, one that was well liked and intelligent and high nobility. One who was sure that he could hold on to the throne once he attempted to usurp it. And who better then the second most powerful man in Kyrria, the man who knows the monarchs the best?" 

" But you attempted to murder the Prince of Kyrria! Why should we believe your lies!," an angry voice shot out. 

The reply from the Prince was swift. " Because if I really wanted to kill my lifelong friend for a throne I do not want and had employed the ogres, what would I be doing sitting in a cell half dead?" 

It seemed as if everything finally clicked. More voices stirred up, and Maria took the opportunity to look at the Prince's wounds. 

But the Prince got a few more words out. 

" This a strong gate, but how strong is it? There are sixteen of us, all with different skills. There is this one weak gate. Surely we can do something?"

Then, it seemed as if everyone was talking at once. A few men Maria knew began examining the gate, and everyone started calling out suggestions. Maria focused her attention on the unofficial leader. 

" Did they rub salt into them?," she asked as she gingerly touched his back. The Prince flinched, and nodded. 

Maria ripped her skirt quickly, and dipped in the small bowl of water the ogres had surprisingly given them. " I have a small bit of healing balm that I carry in my pocket. I'll make some bandages out of my skirt, and if you sleep, you'll be fine." 

" No! I have to get back to Esperanza, god knows what trouble she's been getting into! And is Anniya alright, how could I be so stupid to let her out of my sight? And my brother.....is my brother.......," the Prince spoke softly, his voice drifting off. 

Everyone else was talking excitedly to hear the Prince's almost inaudible words. Perhaps Maria was the only one whose ear caught the key phrase. 

His brother? The Prince of Kellia was the sole and only heir to the Kellian throne; everyone knew that. Was he getting delirious?

" My lord, you don't have a brother," Maria said as gently as she could. 

" No....West, he's older.....he should take the throne you know.....he was always better at understanding people.....more fair.....maybe he is a thief, but he's got honor...more honor then I have....ever have...........thinks I hate him.......he would figure how to get out of this hell....call me Robert.....wish....I could do more.............actually help you....," the Prince drifted off, and Maria felt more confused then ever. 

Brother? Was it even possible, what this man was saying? Maria pushed the thought out of her mind and dipped the material in water once more. 

An older man kneeled down next to Maria, startling her. " my lord, how can you say you haven't helped us?" 

The Prince let out a weak laugh, the only indication he had heard what the man had said. His eyes remained closed. " I'm being a burden. I'm risking people's lives. I can't help, I haven't done anything." 

The old man shook his head. " If this lassie is as good of a healer as she appears to be, you should be strong enough within the hour. But that isn't what you've broughten, lad. Look at these people; their meek like behavior has been chased away in the face of bravery! You've broughten the truth to the people, and that's what will rally us all in the end." 

The man turned back to the rest of the servants, but then stopped for a moment. " You know lad, perhaps you will make a good King." 

A brief smile crossed the Prince's face, and he exhaled just as Sean the carpenter broke the lock to the door. 

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Anniya held her ground, and took out her sword. All the time spent with her teacher came flying back to her. 

" You put one hand on me, and I will put this sword on you. It would be refreshing to see some justice," Anniya told the ogre steadily, trying to keep her anger under control. This was the creature that had killed her mother.

The ogre paused for the slightest moment. Anniya kept her eyes on him. TSSal studied her, assessing what he was dealing with. Anniya gritted her teeth, and kept her eyes on him.

Abruptly, he swung his massive fist at her. Anniya, for once, was glad of her petite and lithe form as she ducked. 

The ogre frowned, then with frightening agility, swooped down for her neck. Anniya ducked to the left, and thrust out her sword. It pierced TSSal's chest, and the creature howled in pain. It ripped the sword out of his sheath, and Anniya at last had an equal opponent. Well, sort of. 

She circled the ogre, ready to block his strike. This would truly be a test; while Anniya might of had more skill, TSSal would have massive strength on his side. 

Anniya swung the sword through the air, and TSSal's struck it back. She stumbled backwards a bit, but quickly blocked as she regained her ground. The ogre lunged again, and Anniya heard the sweet breeze of the sword whizzing past her left ear. 

Offense was the best defense, but Anniya couldn't administrate it against the ogre. His swings were wild and crooked, but they were unbelievably strong. Anniya could barely keep him from knocking her down. 

She parried to the left, then blocked another swing. The Ogre's sword came on her again, and cut her hand. This time the ogre's sword forced her downwards. Anniya felt panic coming on her.

TSSal gave a raspy laugh, and glared down at her. " And now I have beaten you. There is no contest that will allow you to come out on top." 

" Except for a contest of wits," Anniya muttered under her breath. 

The ogre laughed once again. The laugh was easy and laid back, and that frightened Anniya more then any of his actions, but her face remained straight. 

" Why weren't you gutted with the rest of them," she demanded, trying to buy time. 

TSSal ignored her question and pressed down harder. Anniya tossed out another question, frantically trying to stall. 

" For ever the slightest moment, did you have doubts about killing my mother?" 

Surprisingly, the ogre paused. His strength didn't waver, but his harsh, dry voice spoke. 

" It was the lady Eirene and her child I was to fetch. I was to look for the necklace and the girl, and kill the rest. When I failed, I disgraced my lord. My tribesmen and my brother should not of been gutted; the fault was mine alone, and is a curse I live with every day. My lord spared my life for the fact I am chief. My life was kept, but my code of honor was not."

The least to say, Anniya was fascinated with those words. Oh she hated him, for what he had done to her family and no doubt hundreds of others. But for the first time, she saw it from the ogre's perspective. The unwavering devotion that had led to his own inner pain. Perhaps if it had not been her life, Anniya would of felt pity on the ogre. 

" If you hadn't killed my mother, you wouldn't have to deal with no more honor! How can you live with it the first place, killing so many innocent people?," Anniya hissed angrily. 

TSSal's smiled, revealing his incisors. " Just like your mother. At least I will please my lord now" With those final words, TSSal lunged at her throat. 

To this day, Anniya couldn't exactly recall where the strength came from. Maybe it was her magic; maybe it was from inner last resort. Or maybe, it was the memory and spirit of Anniya's parents with the sheer stubbornness not to let the Count win. 

Whatever it was, Anniya slammed her sword upward against the ogre's. It was an unbelievably strong and unexpected movement, and naturally TSSal backed up with surprise. Anniya disarmed him in a flash, and picked up his sword with her hand, twirling it around. The twist of the steel and the sword's whistling sound made her feel alive again, and she remembered how it felt out on the practice field so long ago. 

It also made something jump out of her pocket. It landed on the floor loudly, and TSSal snatched it up quickly, surprisingly fast for such a big creature. 

Anniya didn't bother to see what it was, and held the sword at the ogre's chest, directly at his heart. 

Then she saw West's ring. 

A smirk crossed the creature's face. " Well, well. This is a lovely trinket. I wonder where the river would carry it. I am sorrowful that I have got to this point of holding this in ransom; if your ears would work on our persuasiveness, you would of been dead long ago." 

His gigantic hand dangled above the window. 

Anniya hesitated, and she hated herself for it. It was a thing, for god's sake. The only memory of West she would ever have, but still! 

Anniya stared at the beautiful ring for a moment, and willed her hand to thrust the sword into the ogre. He had ripped her heart open, destroyed her life; now was her big chance to get him back. She hated him, she had no doubt of that. He had been about to kill her, and he would have no qualms or regrets about it. TSSal would probably forget who Anniya was within the day. This was survival; West did it all the time. 

Had done it. 

But for some reason, Anniya couldn't. 

She took a step back, and glanced at the ring once again. The ogre grinned, and Anniya realized that she had made a gigantic mistake. A second of time was enough for her to lose the upper hand. TSSal tossed the ring out the window, and grabbed her arm. 

" That was foolish, but stupidity is a common trait among humans. Elves. Whatever sniveling race you are of," TSSal said smoothly, and tossed her sword aside.

Anniya wanted to hit herself; like the ogre said she was, she was stupid. If she hadn't looked at the ring, she would of seen the ogre. 

The ogre twisted her arm back violently, and Anniya let out a cry of pain. 

" No need to make a fuss; it'll be over in a moment........," the ogre said smiling, and Anniya saw the sharp, carnivorous teeth coming toward her. 

In an act of sheer desperation, Anniya thrust her free hand at the ogre to shield herself. There was no escaping this time. 

No one expected what came next. 

An emerald light shot out of Anniya's finger tips, and threw the at least one ton ogre onto the opposite wall. Green electricity kept him suspended there, and within moments, he began to turn into stone. Anniya stared at him, horrified. Into stone? What in god's name......?

The ogre stared at her with a blank expression on it's face. " We will meet again," it rasped softly, and then stone covered his face. 

The green electricity stopped, and the giant stone dropped to the ground. Surprisingly, it didn't shatter. 

Anniya stared at the stone for a moment, then at her own hands. They were wet and sticky with blood. She bit her lip, and glanced at TSSal once again as she stood up. 

" I'm wasn't going to kill you. I know you probably don't care what my reasons are, and I know that you wouldn't of given a second thought to snapping my neck. But you know what? I'm not like you, or any of your disgusting race. Because no matter how despicable you are, you were live, walking being. I don't think my mother needs me to avenge her death. Her death itself already did the worst it could do," Anniya told the stone passionately.

Her voice shook a bit, but underneath it was strong. She studied the expression on the stone's face, and shivered. It's large, bug like black eyes didn't looked frightened, or distressed. They looked calm, and amused. But it was dead, her magic had come back in time. It couldn't hurt her or anyone else anymore. 

But Anniya didn't forget the creature's chilling last words: We will meet again.

Anniya shivered once more, and walked over to the window. 

The city was still ablaze, and the it's fiery reflection was on the River Lucarno. The waters lapped against the side of the castle. Anger suddenly seized her: for everything that was happening: for the Count coming into her life, for her parent's death, for West's death, just for everything. Why had she said something? He would of been alive right now. The Count and the ogre would be dead, and Kyrria would still be ruled by good, strong monarchs. West would be right next to her and he would make her laugh, and everything would be alright again. 

Anniya leaned out further, and stared into the murky waters. She kept hoping that her eye would catch a golden glimmer, but her efforts were in vain. 

She shook her head, and turned away from the water. So the ring was gone. There was nothing she could do about that now. There was only one battle left, the final one. 

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Author's note: It's not over yet!!! Please Review! I think I only have one-two chapters left, including the epilogue. 


	43. Chapter 42

  
  


Anniya paused outside the great throne room. It had taken her a great deal of time to get where she was. After detouring and lurking in corners, she was surprised she hadn't died of fright. 

Well, it was down to her. It made sense. It had started out that way, and would end the same. 

She touched the glistening sword at her side. It was itching to 'sing' again. It was odd, but it felt almost as if the sword had been made for her at this point. It had gone through Robert, West, and now it was down to her. 

This was a battle that she wasn't going to fight with her sword though. She had enough of that. This was one she was going to win through skill and truth, for the sake of Kyrria. Enough people had died wrong deaths today, and she wasn't going to kill the Count cold blooded. Although he did deserve it. 

Odd enough, Anniya felt calm again. Maybe it was because she was so eager to get it over, for better or for worse. She was tired of dodging around the Count's underlings. It was time to face the man himself. 

Feeling strong, Anniya stepped in the throne room. 

  
  


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The Count overlooked a scene similar to Anniya's earlier. The only difference was that he relished the sight, and took in it all; the day he became King of Kyrria, breaking the blood line for the first time in over two hundred years.

He smiled and stroked his mustache. Even the dragons had proved to be of some use; true, it had wiped out a good number of the ogres, but he didn't need the piddling creatures after tonight. But the dragons had created more hysteria then ogres would of, and all of the guards and knights that weren't in the dungeons were out fighting in Frell. TSSal was taking care of Eirene's girl. The Count knew that they would be a fair match. The girl had terrifying magical capabilities, but TSSal was capable of sorcery and defending himself against it. 

The Count knew who would win. 

That was exactly why he called his captain of his guards to him in the throne room. 

" Yes, my lord," the man said, bowing as one would bow to a monarch. 

" That is treason!," Princess Cecilia shouted, her eyes flashing. 

She stood up and took a step forward before her guards retained their grip on her. The captain looked nervous at the sight of the angry princess, but the Count kept the pleasant smile on his face. He didn't believe that she was any threat at this point. 

The Count placed a piece of paper in the captain's hand. " You are to place this in my study, in a book called 'The Tale of a Man', in the farthest, most concealed book shelf. Do you understand?" 

" Yes, my lord." 

The captain left, and the Count turned back to the Princess. She was quiet, but her anger was still evident. It was indeed a blessing her parents lacked the spirit she seemed to have; the girl seemed unmanageable. 

" Come with me, my dear," he called to her, and walked over to the balcony. The princess remained rooted to her seat, until her two guards rose and dragged her over. 

A fantastic thunder storm was brewing over the castle. The magnificent black clouds gathered angrily over the balcony, and the gathering winds rocked the trees back and forth nervously. The entire land was dark. The Count smiled once again, and deeply sucked in the smoke that floated in the air. It was truly a beautiful sight. The screams, the fire, the beauty of it all. 

" your majesty," a rough, scratchy voice called from behind. The Count turned and saw Eirene's girl, perfectly calm. 

It seemed as if the girl had someone watching over her. She had survived every possible obstacle the Count had put in her path. Ah, but it would not matter in the end. 

She looked so much like Eirene, it was painful. 

" She just walked into the throne room. It may be a trap. She's given up her sword," the ogre warned him hastily. 

The Count glanced at the chains on her feet and hands. " No, leave her. She's fine. I'll take care of her myself." 

The ogres left, bowing without a word. The Count turned to study the Elfin girl. Her serene emerald eyes met his gray ones. He had always been good at reading people, and registered the passionate anger in her eyes.

" You killed him," she said simply. The Count smiled lazily, not bothering to deny it. 

Her anger flared up in her eyes, and the Count himself felt magic trickle in his veins. For a moment, he felt the calling deep inside him.

Eirene's daughter. Eirene had loved her with all her heart. She could of been his daughter. Anniya Fredericka. 

But the more powerful side of him took over, and the Count threw Anniya against the back wall with his magic. Time to kill the girl once and for all. He would have to do it himself. 

There was a satisfying crack, and the girl cried out in pain. The Count smirked, and held her there. His own magic would begin draining hers. 

There was an Emerald green flash, and suddenly the girl fell to the ground. Before the Count could do anything, she leapt up and sent him crashing down onto the floor himself. 

And then his entire body began shaking. The Count, for once in his life, felt the beginnings of fear. The convulsions grew greater, more painful each time. He felt his magic and his lifeblood coming out of him at an unbelievable pace. She would kill him within seconds! With a powerful kick, he knocked the girl down with his feet. Her head slammed against the tile, and she lay still for a moment. 

" No!," the increasingly annoying Princess called out. The Count turned on her and froze her temporarily. She wouldn't be able to move for at least an hour.

He turned back, and threw Anniya into a marble statue with levitation. The girl crumpled against it, but managed to dodge the next throw of magic. 

The Count knew now that girl had by far the stronger magic; it was an ancient magic, and he could not describe it. She had drained him almost within moments; he could of been dead if not for physical strength. If she had been trained just a bit better, he would be dead.

He reached out with his magic, and slammed her against the wall once again. This time the Count concentrated, keep his magic smooth and keeping his back to the balcony. He had her now.

" You've cost me a lot of trouble girl. I thought by hanging you, I would get rid of you. I had used potions to drain your magic, and still you could call the damn dragons. You are indeed more powerful then I believed, and that means as long as you are alive you are a danger to me." 

" What about Cecilia? What about the other rebels," Anniya shot back angrily, her voice cracking in the pain. She was close to death. 

  
  


The thunder clouds at last released rain. It tumbled down like tears, kissing the balcony and quickly soaking the Count. His connection to her magic didn't break. 

The Count smiled, and laughed. 

" What rebels? I killed Arien, my thanks to you; he was by far the greatest threat next to you. My ogres caught the bastard prince, whipped him to death. Our dear King Jerrold and Queen Daria are being held in the tower, awaiting execution. The sniveling Kyrrian prince is off on a journey that will take months. As for Princess Cecilia, I trust that you've seen all that she can do. And of course, there is the prize: you. I have you at last. The last one I had to take care of delivered herself into my hands! And now, I am sad to say that is time to say good bye." 

The Count raised his hand, prepared to cut the connection that was keeping her alive. He couldn't resist saying one more phrase. " I will rule the most powerful country in the lands with my gratitude to you, my dear. With your death, I will signify the beginning of a new King! The death of the last of my enemies!," the Count cried out, as if he were a mad man. Lightning illuminated the sky. He rose his hand to break the connection. Then he paused. Anniya was smiling......? 

" I would count again," a cool voice said from behind him. The Count turned his head. 

In that instant before he died, he knew at last where he had seen those blue green eyes and that dark hair. The gypsy girl whose family he had ordered the slaughtering of. Standing with Char, Robert, and the other knights, Esperanza smiled and nodded to something behind him. His undoing had been a gypsy girl. 

The Count turned to see Anniya's great emerald green dragon gave a shriek of glory as it swooped down from the sky, and close it jaws on him. 

And at that moment, it was later said that the skies cleared and the fires died out and the sun came to make it's daily trip through the sky once again. 

For all, Esperanza's family, Anniya's parents, West and John, and all of the other innocents the Count had killed mercilessly over the years were avenged. 

And surprisingly, the storm turned into a sun shower. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


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Down the Lucarno, in a town far, far away from Frell, a girl named Elizabeth walked down to the river to fetch some more water for her younger brother's baths. No one in her small town had any idea of the Count's attempt to usurp the throne, and Elizabeth was enjoying her small adventure. 

As she scooped up the water into her pail, her eyes caught a glimmer of gold. She swished out the glimmer, and discovered a ring. 

Elizabeth marveled at it, and could hardly believe her luck! It was worth a great deal, she saw that immediately. It was the ring of a high noble. But never mind that; it would pay taxes for a year. She wondered where it had came from. 

She gazed down across the water and the rest of the river shore, and got another glimpse of something. Elizabeth's vision had never been good, so she squinted her muddy brown eyes as another object slowly came into focus. 

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Author's note-- it's not over yet!!! please review. 


	44. Chapter 43

  
  


Anyone passing Anniya at that particular moment would of wondered why such a beautiful girl looked so upset. Indeed, Anniya supposed she looked nice; Princess Cecilia had her personal maids attend to Anniya. Her hair was in a simple blonde bun, apart from the stray blond wisps hanging out. Her skin was freshly scrubbed and simply glowed after all the dirt and blood had been on it. Her dress was remarkable just by itself. It was a deep sapphire, and pearls had been placed on her neck to accentuate her hair. 

" They'll be a husband for you in no time," a particular maid had told Anniya. She had shrugged that comment off. She could of cared less. 

Anniya was sitting in the garden at that moment, under the willow tree next to the Lucarno. The roses were blooming, their sweet scent heavy in the air. She was perfectly aware that she was ruining her ridiculously expensive dress, and felt a small pleasure come from it. 

She had come to love the castle's garden. The week since the Count had been defeated had been chaos, and this seemed to be her only refuge. No one seemed to think to look for her here, which was a great relief. It seemed as if everyone was looking for her. 

Anniya kicked off her slippers and dangled her feet in the river. A fish jumped in the distance, and a twig cracked. She whirled around, and Robert put his hands up. 

" It's me. Could I talk to you?" 

Robert was respected by the people now. It was him and Esperanza who had led Char and the troops of knights into the castle. He had been given a thousand royal apologies by King Jerrold. Who was still shocked from the betrayal of his life long companion. Queen Daria sat quietly in the shadows, but Anniya would of sworn that a glint of a smile played her lips.

Anniya nodded at his request, and Robert sat down next to her. After sitting a few moments in silence, he too took off his shoes and put his feet in the river. 

" You've changed a lot," he told her after a few more moments. 

Anniya cracked a smile at that one. " What, and you haven't? Maybe it's you that's changing. Don't be so sure of yourself, you'll become conceited again." 

Robert smiled, and laughed softly. " Again?" 

Anniya nodded, and stared out onto the river again. " Robert, there's probably something I should tell you. It's about West." 

She saw Robert tense for a moment, and then look away. Anniya took a deep breath, but went on. It had to be said between them some time.

Well, it had taken her awhile, but she finally realized it. Anniya had never really stopped loving West. Everything about him-- his smile, his charm, his bravery, everything-- had never really left her. If only she had been able to see it. 

But before she could say anything, Robert leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. It was a kiss one would give a friend. He gave her a weak smile. " I know, Anniya. West always.....understood you. He loved you with everything he had in him, and you should know that. There are countless women West has charmed into loving him. He liked them all; West always adored women, but not one did he ever love back except for you. Do you know why?" 

Anniya managed to find her voice. " No." 

There were tears in his eyes, but Robert went on. " You were the only one he ever respected as an equal. He would of done anything for you Anniya, and that's why I'm telling you that you cannot blame yourself for his death. He died an honorable death, and you see already how he's being treated. The King and Queen are erecting a statue in the center of Frell in his name; the Princess Cecilia insisted on it. God, I wish it had been me instead of him," Robert said fervently. Anniya squeezed his hand, and leaned her head on his shoulder. She felt the onset of tears. 

" Does his family know...? Did West have family?," Anniya asked quietly, realizing that it was the only thing she had never really discussed with West. 

At that Robert was silent at. It was not the same thing as the silence previously, and Anniya sensed that Robert had been keeping something from her. 

" Robert, what is it? It can't be bad. Nothing can be worse then it already is," Anniya told him. Wasn't she the one to point out the cheery news: nothing can get worse! Anniya decided she needed to stop being so blunt. 

Robert hesitated, then started his story. " West is not just simply West, as he is not just simply my cousin. By birth right, West is Prince Arien Westkander Di Calixte of Kellia, heir to the throne." 

Well, that woke her up alright. Anniya gave a short, confused laugh. " West? No, that's you Robert. That can't be true because you don't have a brother...........wait....." 

Suddenly a lot of things were making sense. West and Robert's amazing similarities. All of the little phrases that had been hinted over time. West's ring. 

When Anniya looked up, Robert answered her question before she even asked it. " Half brother. I am the second child of the King of Kellia. When West was a child, my father was sucking the country dry with taxes in order to appease West's mother. The people rebelled, and attacked the palace. The Queen was slaughtered, and it was assumed that her son was too. But he wasn't. West escaped, and was raised in a town far from the capital, where he met John. My Father remarried to my mother, and I was born. The new heir." 

Anniya stared, her hand on her cheek. West...he had been the prince all along..... She said the only thing she could think to say. " Oh." 

Brilliant Anniya, just brilliant. But Robert nodded, satisfied with her answer. 

" You know, he would of made a better King. Oh, he's a thief, but look at what he did! He had honor, he had intelligence and logic and plans that I will never have. He gave his life trying to save Kyrria, and had been trying to stop the Count for the longest time imaginable. None of it was required. Kyrria wasn't even his country, for god's sake! West was Kellian through and through!" He was silent for a few moments. " I may abdicate the throne." 

Anniya leaped up. " Robert! You cannot do that! What will happen? Is the blood line just going to disappear, like the Count tried to make it do?" 

Robert pulled her back down. " Don't try and change my mind. I'll see how the wind blows." 

A few more moments of silence passed. Robert spoke again. " You know, there's something else I should probably tell you. About Esperanza." 

Just looking in his eyes, Anniya saw it all. Somehow in the time she had seen him last, Robert had started thinking differently about the gypsy girl, and was worried that Anniya would feel attached to him. 

In spite of it all, she laughed. She leaned over and hugged Robert as hard as she could. 

" When's the wedding? I want to be a....what do you call them?," Anniya asked slipping on her Kyrrian. 

" Bridesmaid. But it's not like that!," Robert protested. But he smiled, and Anniya splashed water at him. She stared out at the glistening waters, and an idea sparked in her mind. 

" Well, I'll believe you only if you do one small favor for me." 

Robert arched an eyebrow, and Anniya grinned. 

" Teach me how to swim."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

  
  


It was late at night when Anniya crept out of the palace. Her magic kept her from being seen, and she made slipped out of the palace with ease. 

The place she was headed actually about half a mile away from the castle grounds. On normal occasions, Anniya would of wanted a horse. But tonight she felt like walking. 

She had been unconscious for several days after her encounter with the Count. She had kept her eyes open long enough to see Gleex...well, eat the man. The moment she had woken up, her first( delirious) thought was to scold the dragon properly for it. True, it did save her life so naturally Anniya didn't want to be too harsh( she adored Gleex with all her heart). But Anniya hadn't raised him to be carnivorous, and she could see how man eating dragons might cause a problem in Kyrria. But she hadn't seen the dragon since that day it had killed the Count. According to Esperanza, it had taken off into the air immediately after----the Count's legs still hanging out. 

The small clearing in the dark forest was peaceful, not scary. Although Anniya frankly didn't like the idea blood thirsty animals lurking in the shadows of the trees, she enjoyed the emptiness of the place. Above her, the night sky glimmered with millions of stars. She knew no one would be coming anywhere near her. Once she was sure, Anniya closed her eyes and called Gleex silently, with all the magic that was in her. A fierce, green wind whipped past her, ruffling her hair. It lasted for a long time; it was at least twenty minutes before Anniya felt a magical presence settle behind her. 

Anniya turned around. Hovering above her was not Gleex, but the ebony dragon, the largest of the three dragons that had saved her life.

Anniya had never seen it in it's full glory, and knew now how truly mystical dragons were. The sleek scales glistened in the moonlight, and it spread it's leathery wings as it's razor sharp talons settled onto the earth. She could almost see the age that had been sketched into the creatures face, and knew that it was an adult. It's cat gold eyes glittered with intelligence, civilizations of knowledge taunting her. 

She hesitated for a moment. Dragons were the most powerful creatures on earth, the only living being besides fairies that could draw magic from within. Gleex had been a hatchling when she befriended. It was different being in front of this fantastic, this ethereal creature that radiated life and death at the same time. 

*~ Ah. Anniya Fredericka of Estalen, descendant of Queen Ayinna of the elves. Heir to the most powerful magic bestowed upon the mortal races, and guardian of the emerald dragon, my son.~*,

the dragon's powerful voice said, ringing inside Anniya's mind. 

It was mind speaking to her, a power that Gleex was too young to learn. Even though the fantastic voice echoed inside of her head, Anniya felt a serene feeling. She felt the magic inside of her connect with the dragon. 

*~ I am afraid that I am not acquainted with either of your names~*, Anniya told the magical beast, wanting to give it proper respect. 

The dragon laughed, making a great noise that sounded like two swords striking together. 

*~Your mortal language would not likely be able to pronounce it. My name is Aklashen and my son is Gshkaydof. You may call me Dragon ~*, the dragon rumbled in reply. 

Anniya nodded, and immediately voiced what she had to say.

*~ I want to thank you. You came to my aid, and saved Kyrria. I did not expect that you would aid me, and for that, I am in your debt, ~* Anniya told the dragon. 

The dragon let out yet another soft, metallic laugh. *~ You are of descent of Ayinna of the elves. The Dragons are sworn protectors of her people. There is no debt, for it was our duty. ~* 

Anniya nodded. ~* Where is Gleex? I mean, your son?,*~ she asked. It was hard to think of Gleex having another name. 

~* He is with in our lands now, the great mountains. He could not stay here, but I am greatly in your debt for raising him as best as a mortal could.*~ 

Anniya felt sorrow, but knew it was for the best. Gleex, as much as he loved Anniya, would not of wanted to live a life in a cage. He deserved to be free, with his own kind. His family. 

~* He will miss you, and he knows you are thankful and miss him as well. He senses it. But do not look sorrowful. You will see him again. I feel it,*~ the dragon told her, and Anniya believed it. In those glittering gold eyes were deep pools of wisdom from the well of time. 

~* How do you know for certain?,*~ Anniya couldn't resist asking. She couldn't imagine never seeing Gleex again.

The dragon laughed again. ~* The Dragons are the guardians of time. Even fairies cannot see what we see. Your story is far from over, descendent of Ayinna. You have yet to fulfill the prophecy. But I warn you, I have looked ahead in the stars. I have seen many things. Adventures, a darker enemy. Great Battles. A love of the people. A love for a Queen so great, she will be remembered in the coming times long after she is gone. The Queen of the prophecy, they will call her.*~

Anniya looked at him, sure that all her questions were on her face. A Queen? Could he possibly be talking about her, was he? 

~* I don't understand....*~

The dragon's glittering eyes focused on her, boring into her mind. ~* There is much within you that you do not understand yet, Child of Eirene of Estalen. In time you will.~* 

Anniya couldn't think of anything to say, for once in her life. She was speechless. 

~* Anniya Fredericka of Estalen, your adventures are merely beginning. For you are a tool of whatever force governs us, a great being that has touched your destiny. Now I am old, and the matters of mortal creatures affect me naught. Your lives are a moment in our time. 

But you are young and of the elves and humans, and the dragon blood in your veins runs strong. I can feel greatness inside of you. Yes, you will do great things,*~ the dragon rumbled, and flapped his wings. 

And then, to Anniya's astonishment, the great dragon lowered it's head to the ground, as if it were bowing. Anniya stared for a moment, then curtsied. 

~* Until we meet again*~, it echoed in her head, and took off into the air. A strong wind nearly knocked Anniya off her feet, and the dark shadow blended into the night sky. 

Anniya stared into the stars for a long time before smiling. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


" You know, you shouldn't be here. Are you sure it's good for you to see this.....," Esperanza asked Anniya nervously. 

Anniya nodded, and couldn't resist a smile. Esperanza, now that she was scrubbed and clean, was truly beautiful. She could see Robert and her as a married couple easily. Not that it would be allowed for a man as high ranked as Robert did, but he would find a way around it. " It'll be fine, Esperanza. You can wait outside if you want. It's not good for you either. And you've been running around none stop for days." 

Esperanza laughed. " This is a change. You're acting like a mother hen, as if I'm going to run away ." 

" I'm a born maternal figure," Anniya said mockingly. " Personally, I can't see me with children. I'd runway if I had me for a mother." 

Esperanza snorted. " King Jerrold is more of a maternal figure then you are."

Anniya smiled. Not more then a week at the palace, and Esperanza had lost all her respect for royalty. If there had been any in the first place. 

Both girls grew quiet abruptly as they neared the place that was to be West's grave. Esperanza, Robert, and Anniya were the only ones who knew about it. His body had never been found, but a gravestone had been made anyway. Because he had no known family( Robert hadn't volunteered the information, and Anniya was glad. She was sure that West hadn't wanted to be known as a Prince when he was alive, he wouldn't want to be known as one when he was dead. Esperanza and Robert had already paid their respects to him when she was recovering, and Anniya was at last going. John too had been given grave, and it was next to West's. 

It wasn't in the cemetery, to Anniya's relief. She hated cemeteries with a passion. Instead, the two gravestones had been placed under an ancient willow tree on the hillside, a mile and a half away from the palace. Anniya halted, and Esperanza did the same. 

" Robert told you, didn't he," Esperanza asked, her voice guarded. 

Esperanza had known? She must of found out from Robert somehow. Anniya didn't pursue it, and just nodded. 

Esperanza stood awkwardly. It was evening, and the two horses were becoming restless. Anniya smiled at her friend. " Esperanza, go back to the palace. You'd rather be here, and I'd rather be by myself," she told her. 

The gypsy girl smiled, and squeezed her hand. " Are you sure?" 

" I'm sure." 

Esperanza lingered for a few more moments before leaving. Anniya gazed all around her. The sky was streaked with purple, pink, and orange clouds as it had been on the day of her hanging. The chilly breeze was calmer on the hillside, and Anniya closed her eyes for a moment, reliving the moments of her past few years. So much had happened. 

Anniya finally opened them, and bent down to read the epitaph. 

' Sir West of Kellia'( he had been knighted after death): 

" He was a brave man, and died a noble death serving his King."

  
  


Anniya didn't cry. It was strange; she had been crying for so many minor things, but when something big hit her, her tears had dried up. Instead there was a dull, throbbing ache that hurt like the worst of stomach aches. Only it wasn't anything the healers could cure. 

Anniya turned her head to look off into the hills. Out of the corner, she couldn't help but catch something reflecting off the dying sun. 

Anniya sniffed once, rubbed her eyes, and frowned. It was near West's gravestone. She pulled back a few weeds and her had curled around a golden ring. 

If there was something that Anniya remembered clearly, it was TSSal throwing the ring out the high window. Robert, Esperanza, and Anniya were the only ones who knew the location of West's grave. 

Anniya fingered the ring, and a sudden hope suddenly leapt up. Behind her, a deep voice drawled from behind her. 

" I must say, this is a bit shocking. One moment I'm wanted for thievery, the next moment I'm a national hero. In the turmoil of it all, I left my ring behind." 

Anniya whirled around, but she already knew who it was. 

Arien Westkander Di Calixte was wildly handsome without trying. Tall and muscular, West's grin was more charming then ever. With his hair glistening in the sun and his pale green eyes dancing, Anniya didn't see a prince. She saw West. 

She stared at him for a moment, then smiled. " Well, that's quite a story sir. I believe you are lying." 

West's grinned merely widened. " I believe I am." 

With those words, he strode forward and kissed her, the sun finally sinking beneath the hills. West held her close to him fiercely, and Anniya felt a thrilling sensation. For the first time, she realized what it was like to love someone with all your heart and be loved in return. It also occurred to her something needed to be said. 

" I love you," Anniya whispered as she broke away from the kiss. 

West smoothed her hair down. "I know." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


West knew that he was damn lucky to still be alive at that moment. He and Anniya lay under the willow tree she adored in comfortable silence. 

He inhaled the sweet smell of roses mixed in with Anniya's unique, intoxicating smell. West couldn't help but grin, and his arm slid around her waist. Perhaps there would be a happily ever after, after all. 

His last vivid memory after the Count had stabbed him had been of Anniya, and after her there were only vague recollections. He remembered an overwhelming amount of water, and then a girl finding him on the bank side. Eerily enough, his ring had washed up on the same bank.

Luck had been with him; the girl who had found him had a healer for a mother. After some time and all the charm he could muster on his possible death bed, the woman had released him back into the world. Now that it had been two days since he had found Anniya at the grave site( which had been promptly uprooted), West listened with relish as Anniya detailed the Count's fall and the restoration of King Jerrold and Queen Daria. In return, he told her what had happened to him. 

The kingdom had been thrilled, much to West's amusement. One moment they wanted to kill him, the next he was a hero. The King and Queen had him knighted in person, and Princess Cecilia had been trailing him like a dog. He hardly had a moment of peace, apart from spending time with Anniya. 

West's fingers closed around a smaller ring in his pocket. He smiled; the ball being held in his honor was proving to be very convenient. Perfect for proposing. 

Anniya shifted in his arms. " What happened to Diobla," she asked quietly. 

West shrugged. " I don't know." He wasn't concerned. He would find her again; it was not a matter of where, but when. Diobla and him had been separated by hundreds of miles, but in the end, they always found each other. 

The silence relapsed. Then Anniya blurted it out. 

" Why didn't you tell me?" 

West's muscles tensed. He opened his mouth to deny it, but as he looked into Anniya's eyes, he realized she knew. He looked away from her, off into the river.

" Anniya I never wanted to be part of the royal family. You've seen me; I kill, I steal, I'm everything that royalty isn't. It came from my mother--they killed her in the end." 

Anniya put her soft hand on his arm. " You nearly died trying to save Kyrria so many times, West. Royalty doesn't have anything to do with it. You are a good person," she said earnestly. 

He looked off into the distance, and couldn't hold back a sardonic laugh. " Last year you called me a killer. I am one. I've stolen, I've killed, and I am just as much of a damn monster as the Count is." 

Anniya's green eyes sparkled with anger. " West, stop doing this," she warned. 

He laughed once again, bitterly. " My dear, you are a hypocrite. We are all hypocrites. If there was any fairness in this world, it wouldn't of turned out this way." 

Anniya abruptly wrenched out of his grip, leaving empty space between them. " West, we won! Why can't you just...accept that!," she said angrily. 

West was quiet for a few moments. It was a question he would of loved to answer himself. He stood up and walked out of the garden, leaving Anniya there. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Robert was sitting in the palace library when West came in. 

West. His brother. Still alive. It had been a shock to him when he and Anniya had waltzed into the throne room. Part of Robert had hurt, seeing the look on Anniya's face. He knew very well that part of him would never truly get over her. In all the excitement, Robert hadn't actually talked to his brother himself. 

West sat down across from him, his identical hair catching the sunlight.

Before Robert could say anything, West spoke. " Robert, do you ever have any regrets?" 

That was the question of the century. " About what?" 

West grinned wryly at that comment. He had a charming smile that seemed to cast a spell on people, similar to the way Anniya laughed. 

" About finding me." 

That very question Robert had wondered for the past seven years. For all the fights they had, for all of the rivalry, West was more family then Robert's parents for. At those thoughts, Robert smiled. 

" No, I don't." 

" Why?" 

Robert shrugged. " Before I am prince, I am your brother."

West studied him carefully. " I could try and take the throne from you. I have a legitimate claim to it." 

Robert nodded. " But you wouldn't," he said simply. 

West's eyes sparkled, and he abruptly leaned over and gave Robert a friendly knock on the head. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


" You know, I think I might start calling you Arien from now on. It fits you," Anniya said lightly.

West's face contorted in annoyance before he realized she was joking, and laughed. " And I will start calling you some equally hideous name," he replied just as Char walked into the doorway, followed by an elderly man and a oddly beautiful girl. 

" Char, what brings you here--," Anniya began as she rose to curtsy and West bowed. Char bowed back, and took a deep breath. 

" I think it would be best for you to sit down for this," he began unevenly. 

Anniya eyed him wearily, but sat back down on her velvet chair. But West stood by her chair, his brigand side taking over his face. 

" Char, if you have any bad news that needs to be broken, make it quick," West drawled, making it clear he had no intention of sitting down. 

Char sighed, and gestured to the elderly man. " May I introduce Sir Landon, the man who organized the search of the late Count Fallon's estate." 

The small, withered man shifted some papers in front of him as he glided into his chair. He peered at Anniya through bushy eyebrows. 

" I am also responsible for executing the late Count's will--but I found the results most disturbing that I felt the need to alert Prince Charmont." 

" What does that have to do with Anniya and I," West said smoothly. His flickering green eyes stayed on the old man, making him evidently nervous. 

" Because, Count Frederick Di Fallon, the richest and most powerful man second only to the King himself in Frell, has left all of his lands, riches, estates, and possessions to Anniya Fredericka of Estalen." 

Anniya felt like she had been punched in the chest for a moment. She couldn't think, she couldn't breathe, all she could do was stare.

West reacted quicker, as always. He walked over in one stride and snatched up the papers. 

" The sole daughter of Eirene, Anniya Fredericka of Estalen, shall inherit all of my lands, estates, possessions, and riches. Signed, Frederick Di Fallon," West read, sounding disgusted. 

The old man coughed. " You have not read the other paper, my lord. All was left solely to the young mistress apart from the late Count's sword. That worth over a thousand gold KJ's, was left to you, milord." 

West blinked for a moment, and Anniya finally found her voice. " But how would he know that we would win-- how did he-how could he?," she began. 

Char spoke softly. " I do not believe we have seen the last of him." 

There was silence for a moment, and West gripped Anniya's palm tightly. Then, a lighter voice from the door spoke from the door. 

" Forgive me, but I don't believe we've been introduced." 

Anniya glanced into the identical green eyes of a girl that looked to be her opposite in every other way. She was tall where Anniya was short, dark hair opposed to Anniya's blondeness. 

Char smiled, and took the girl's hand. " Anniya and West, meet Ella, my fiancee." 

*****************************************************************************


	45. Epilogue

It was late at night when Anniya crept out of the palace. The ball was still going on, but she had to escape for a little while or she'd go mad. Her magic kept her from being seen, and she made slipped out of the palace with ease. 

The place she was headed actually about half a mile away from the castle grounds. On normal occasions, Anniya would of wanted a horse. But tonight she felt like walking. 

She had been unconscious for several days after her encounter with the Count. She had kept her eyes open long enough to see Gleex...well, eat the man. The moment she had woken up, her first( delirious) thought was to scold the dragon properly for it. True, it did save her life so naturally Anniya didn't want to be too harsh( she adored Gleex with all her heart). But Anniya hadn't raised him to be carnivorous, and she could see how man eating dragons might cause a problem in Kyrria. But she hadn't seen the dragon since that day it had killed the Count. According to Esperanza, it had taken off into the air immediately after----the Count's legs still hanging out. 

The small clearing in the dark forest was peaceful, not scary. Although Anniya frankly didn't like the idea blood thirsty animals lurking in the shadows of the trees, she enjoyed the emptiness of the place. Above her, the night sky glimmered with millions of stars. She knew no one would be coming anywhere near her. Once she was sure, Anniya closed her eyes and called Gleex silently, with all the magic that was in her. A fierce, green wind whipped past her, ruffling her hair. It lasted for a long time; it was at least twenty minutes before Anniya felt a magical presence settle behind her. 

Anniya turned around. Hovering above her was not Gleex, but the ebony dragon, the largest of the three dragons that had saved her life.

Anniya had never seen it in it's full glory, and knew now how truly mystical dragons were. The sleek scales glistened in the moonlight, and it spread it's leathery wings as it's razor sharp talons settled onto the earth. She could almost see the age that had been sketched into the creatures face, and knew that it was an adult. It's cat gold eyes glittered with intelligence, civilizations of knowledge taunting her. 

She hesitated for a moment. Dragons were the most powerful creatures on earth, the only living being besides fairies that could draw magic from within. Gleex had been a hatchling when she befriended. It was different being in front of this fantastic, this ethereal creature that radiated life and death at the same time. 

*~ Ah. Anniya Fredericka of Estalen, descendant of Queen Ayinna of the elves. Heir to the most powerful magic bestowed upon the mortal races, and guardian of the emerald dragon, my son.~*,

the dragon's powerful voice said, ringing inside Anniya's mind. 

It was mind speaking to her, a power that Gleex was too young to learn. Even though the fantastic voice echoed inside of her head, Anniya felt a serene feeling. She felt the magic inside of her connect with the dragon. 

*~ I am afraid that I am not acquainted with either of your names~*, Anniya told the magical beast, wanting to give it proper respect. 

The dragon laughed, making a great noise that sounded like two swords striking together. 

*~Your mortal language would not likely be able to pronounce it. My name is Aklashen and my son is Gshkaydof. You may call me Dragon ~*, the dragon rumbled in reply. 

Anniya nodded, and immediately voiced what she had to say.

*~ I want to thank you. You came to my aid, and saved Kyrria. I did not expect that you would aid me, and for that, I am in your debt, ~* Anniya told the dragon. 

The dragon let out yet another soft, metallic laugh. *~ You are of descent of Ayinna of the elves. The Dragons are sworn protectors of her people. There is no debt, for it was our duty. ~* 

Anniya nodded. ~* Where is Gleex? I mean, your son?,*~ she asked. It was hard to think of Gleex having another name. 

~* He is with in our lands now, the great mountains. He could not stay here, but I am greatly in your debt for raising him as best as a mortal could.*~ 

Anniya felt sorrow, but knew it was for the best. Gleex, as much as he loved Anniya, would not of wanted to live a life in a cage. He deserved to be free, with his own kind. His family. 

~* He will miss you, and he knows you are thankful and miss him as well. He senses it. But do not look sorrowful. You will see him again. I feel it,*~ the dragon told her, and Anniya believed it. In those glittering gold eyes were deep pools of wisdom from the well of time. 

~* How do you know for certain?,*~ Anniya couldn't resist asking. She couldn't imagine never seeing Gleex again.

The dragon laughed again. ~* The Dragons are the guardians of time. Even fairies cannot see what we see. Your story is far from over, descendent of Ayinna. You have yet to fulfill the prophecy. But I warn you, I have looked ahead in the stars. I have seen many things. Adventures, a darker enemy. Great Battles. A love of the people. A love for a Queen so great, she will be remembered in the coming times long after she is gone. The Queen of the prophecy, they will call her.*~

Anniya looked at him, sure that all her questions were on her face. A Queen? Could he possibly be talking about her, was he? 

~* I don't understand....*~

The dragon's glittering eyes focused on her, boring into her mind. ~* There is much within you that you do not understand yet, Child of Eirene of Estalen. In time you will.~* 

Anniya couldn't think of anything to say, for once in her life. She was speechless. 

~* Anniya Fredericka of Estalen, your adventures are merely beginning. For you are a tool of whatever force governs us, a great being that has touched your destiny. Now I am old, and the matters of mortal creatures affect me naught. Your lives are a moment in our time. 

But you are young and of the elves and humans, and the dragon blood in your veins runs strong. I can feel greatness inside of you. Yes, you will do great things,*~ the dragon rumbled, and flapped his wings. 

And then, to Anniya's astonishment, the great dragon lowered it's head to the ground, as if it were bowing. Anniya stared for a moment, then curtsied. 

~* Until we meet again*~, it echoed in her head, and took off into the air. A strong wind nearly knocked Anniya off her feet, and the dark shadow blended into the night sky. 

Anniya stared into the stars for a long time before smiling. 

******************************************************************************

Anniya and West were married in April of that year. They were married in a private ceremony in a rose garden with only Char, Cecilia, Ella, Esperanza, and Robert in attendance. Anniya's quirky view of life and sarcasm held onto West's love, as his charm and humor held on to her's. Needless to say, they loved each other for all of their days. 

Anniya and Ella became close friends, consulting each other and sharing secrets long into their old age. 

West and Anniya had three children. The first two were boys, named John and Robert. The last child was a girl whose snowy hair and green eyes made her known as ' the little queen'. She was called Eirene Esperanza. 

Esperanza and Robert courted for several years before they were married. Esperanza and Robert reigned for a period of six years, known in Kellia as the 'glory years'. Anniya and Esperanza remained best friends up until Esperanza's death in child birth. The entire kingdom grieved for what historians now say was 60 days and 60 nights. 

Robert reigned a steady rule for many years. After his queen's death, he abdicated in favor of his half brother, and West and Anniya took the throne just in time for the ogre war's renewal. Their reign was known as ' the time of the light'. They are up to today the most honored and well known monarchs of Kellia. 

~*~ THE END ~*~

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


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A/N: It's finally over!!!! I can't believe it! Please review, and post any questions you may have. I love you all! This story is dedicated to all of my readers! 


	46. Important Author's Update

Author's Note

I've begun to post my fictional rewrite of Anniya on fictionpress.com, for all who are interested. It's been tentatively remained 'For a Crown', and you can find it under my same penname, faeriegurl. All who are interested please check it out and leave me some nice criticism so I can figure how to improve it. Though basic plot line is still the same and all of the main characters remain, some things have changed. Among the changes include different names for some of the characters ( Ava instead of Anniya, the Duke Frederick di Fallon instead of the Count,), many different twists, a differentbetter ending, and a more developed writing style. It's also written in first person.

If you review it, kindly don't leave spoilers on what happened in the ending of the Ella Enchanted version. Parts of the ending will stay the same, but some will also be subject to change.

Hope to see you leaving a nice critiquing review!


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